Administrative Services

Communications

Communications Center staff dispatch emergency police and fire services for both the Village of Skokie and the Village of Lincolnwood. In order to accommodate this significant workload, the Communications Center maintains an authorized strength of 23 persons, each of whom are assigned to one of four watches to ensure 24/7 coverage, 365 days per year. Watches I, II and III each have a Supervisor, and have an Officer in Charge (OIC) who serves as an Acting Supervisor in the absence of a Shift Supervisor. There is also a Watch IV which overlaps Watches II and III for logistical reasons.


The first contact citizens generally have with the Skokie Police Department is with the Communications Center. During a calendar year, the Communications Center answers more than 46,000 E-911 telephone calls for the two communities.  In addition to E-911 calls, Communications Center staff answers approximately 7,700 non-emergency and administrative calls per month. The Communications Center also handles over 80,000 computer-aided dispatch (CAD) events during a calendar year. Of the CAD events, about 68,000 are Police related, with about 12,000 of these resulting from Officer-initiated traffic stops, and about 12,000 fire and emergency medical service incidents. The community is reminded to always call 9-1-1 in an emergency. The Skokie Police Department non-emergency number is 847/982-5900.

Identification & Property Custody

The functions of Identification and Property Custody Section include accepting pieces of property into custody, returning items to their rightful owners and coordinating the destruction of items that remain unclaimed or were no longer required as evidence. 

Numerous items are processed through auction services. Over 6,400 pieces of property are taken into custody by the Identification and Property Custody Section per year. The section returns items to their rightful owners, and coordinates the destruction of items that remain unclaimed or are no longer required as evidence. Several hundred items of evidence are submitted to Illinois State Crime Laboratories for analysis and the Department Lab analyzes several seized narcotics items as well.

Police Records Unit


As the repository for all calls for service requiring documentation, the Records Unit processes and archives all reports of criminal, non-criminal, traffic and parking activity handled by the Department. During a calendar year, over 100,000 documents ranging from parking citations to arrest reports are handled by the Unit.

In addition to its traditional responsibilities, the Records Unit administers the issuance of keg tags to retail liquor establishments and assists with the Scofflaw Immobilization Program.


Training

Skokie Police Department personnel receive many hours of training per year including recruit training, in-service and roll-call training, career development programs and management-level courses. Officers are required to train monthly with their firearms. Management and supervisory training also is provided to the Department by Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, the Northern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy and the Northeast Multi-regional Training Board.

Management Information Services

Information management provides technological resources including implementation, administration and maintenance of all Police Department computer systems such as desktop, laptop and mobile data computer hardware and software applications.

Field Services Unit

The Field Services Unit is responsible for purchasing supplies and equipment, securing services and ensuring Police facility maintenance. The Field Services Unit also provides liaison to the Village's Purchasing and Finance Departments.