Chicago City Wire

Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park, believes that violent crime from Chicago is reaching surrounding cities because of recent crime policy reforms by Kim Foxx, Cook County state's attorney.

Two Chicago men allegedly got into a gunfight with each other at the Oakbrook Center shopping mall in December 2021, according to DuPage Policy Journal. Both men were injured in the incident, along with four bystanders. Charges were filed against the two shooters. James Kruger, chief of police for Oak Brook, told WGN Radio that detectives determined the shooting was an isolated incident, Dupage Policy Journal reported.

Violent crime has soared in the region, according to DuPage Policy Journal. There were over 1,000 homicides in Cook County in 2021 – the highest number since 1994. Some local leaders argued that the crime crisis has been exacerbated by reformed prosecution standards by Foxx. Leaders from surrounding areas said the climate is one of rogue criminality.

"It puts a lot of pressure on all the police departments around, but we're all trying to cooperate to make sure this doesn't happen," Pekau told South Cook News in December 2021. "The big thing is we're not getting cooperation from Kim Foxx. Obviously, all this stuff from Chicago, we know what's happening in Chicago, and it's bleeding all over."

Peter DiCianni, DuPage County commissioner, criticized Foxx for being lax in prosecuting violent crime in Chicago, according to FOX News as reported by DuPage Policy Journal. He said that Foxx's policies resulted in more crime spreading outside of the city. A 2020 Chicago Tribune analysis found that Foxx "dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase over her predecessor."

In nearby Lombard, Police Chief Roy Newton said the criminals who should be locked up in Chicago victimize surrounding areas. 

"Those offenders go out and continue to commit more crimes,” he said.