News Briefs: Wilmette police’s new response team; Highland Park’s new website; Closed Wilmette Avenue crossing

The Wilmette Police Department has debuted a co-responder unit, the result of a plan to provide “a more specialized and compassionate response to calls involving mental health crises and other vulnerable populations such as people who are unhoused,” according to a Village of Wilmette release.

The Village Board approved the plan, which involves increased resources, in March of this year, as reported by The Record, and the police department has been developing the unit ever since.

The co-responder unit features community relations officer Carly Watson and department social worker Kevin Ockrim.

Watson is a seven-year veteran of the department who “has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement through various department-led initiatives,” the Village says.

Ockrim, a new hire, previously was a social worker at Grayslake High School.

“Patrol officers have traditionally served as short-term problem solvers for people experiencing longer-term and complex mental health challenges,” Police Chief Michael Robinson said in the release. “The Co-Responder Team represents a shift in that model, offering an alternative approach by addressing these calls with a blend of law enforcement presence and clinical social work support, allowing for on-the-scene crisis de-escalation and connection to further treatment or services.”

The unit will provide immediate response to mental-health-related calls, which will relieve patrol officers to respond to other calls, and will be “uniquely positioned to offer consistent follow-up and connect individuals with the robust network of social services available in the area,” according to the department.

Highland Park’s new website now up

The City of Highland Park has unveiled a new website, which it says offers “improved navigation, easier access to high-interest topics, and a robust accessibility suite to enhance access to information.

The City created the below tutorial video to highlight the new features.

Improved functions include:

• Content sections on the homepage,
• A new calendar that pulls in events from Enjoy Highland Park, a marketing arm of the City,
• New menus to find information by topic or department, and
• Website language translation and accessibility functions to serve more residents.

The City is warning residents that the website changes may have altered URLs that residents have visited, making them difficult to find. If you have trouble finding information on the new website, contact the city manager’s office at (847) 926-1000.

Wilmette Avenue crossing to reopen Oct. 2

The Union Pacific Railroad crossing at Wilmette Avenue in Wilmette is closed for construction through at least Thursday, Oct. 2, according to village officials.

The closure reportedly is required for the railroad to complete necessary maintenance to its infrastructure at that crossing. Detour signage is present in the area, directing traffic to Central Avenue.

For more information, contact Village Engineer Dan Manis at manisd@wilmette.com or (847) 853-7602.

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