Police Department Frequently Asked Questions:

1.       What area does the Winnebago Police Department have jurisdiction (authority)?

Our jurisdiction is inside the corporate limits of the Village of Winnebago.  This extends from Winnebago Corners to Cunningham Road, from the Meadows Subdivision to the new Willingham Subdivision off of Falconer Rd., and also includes Resh Farms and Greenlee Subdivisions.  We do not have authority for Westlake Village.  However, this does not mean that our squad cars will not leave the Village, when requested, to respond to an emergency call outside of the Village limits.  Depending on the location of the nearest Winnebago County Deputy, Winnebago Police Officers may respond to an emergency call outside of the limits if they are closer to the incident.  Also, we are called from time to time to back up or assist other agencies nearby. 

2.       Will the Winnebago Police Department take my fingerprints for a job application or professional license?

Yes, this is a service that we provide.  To be fingerprinted, you must first call and make arrangements.  We cannot guarantee an appointment, but we can work with you to set up a time.  If it is for your job, they should be able to provide the proper fingerprint card to you.  For all other inquiries, we will provide you with our general card and an address to send the card to.  There is a fee from the State of Illinois that must accompany the fingerprint card.  Winnebago Police Department does not collect any fees for fingerprinting.

3.       What is the difference between an ordinance violation and a criminal violation?

There are two general types of violations in Winnebago, those that break our Village specific ordinances and those that break the Law of the State of Illinois.  State law covers offenses such as theft, robbery, battery, and so on.  If arrested for one of these offenses, you will be taken to jail. An ordinance violation is disobeying an ordinance passed by the Village of Winnebago Board of Trustees, such as operating a scooter on the roadway, being in the park after hours, and soliciting without a permit.  Traffic Violation can fall under either State law or Village Ordinance.  Most traffic citations are written under the Village Ordinance 87-2, which adopted the Illinois Vehicle Code to cover Village roadways.  However, more serious offenses such as DUI or Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License are State charges. Violating an ordinance will result in a court appearance and a fine only, if found guilty.  An individual cannot be lodged in jail on an ordinance violation.

4.         What are Miranda Rights and when are they applicable?

In June of 1966, the Supreme Court decided on Miranda v. Arizona.  In his decision, the Chief Justice Earl Warren stated “The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he has the right to remain silent, and that anything he says will be used against him in court; he must be clearly informed that he has the right to consult with a lawyer and to have the lawyer with him during interrogation, and that, if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him.” (For a complete history of Miranda v. Arizona, visit Wikipedia.com/wiki/Miranda_v._Arizona)  This court case did not give us our right to remain silent or to have an attorney present during questioning (you can thank the Bill of Rights for that!), instead it required officers to inform you of your rights after being arrested and prior to being questioned.  Miranda does not apply to officers asking questions of witnesses to an accident or asking for a person’s personal information.

5.        Winnebago is a small town, should I really lock my doors on my car and to my house?

Winnebago is still a small town.  However, we are growing, rapidly.  While we do not have the high crime rates of larger cities and the violent crime associated, we do still have an occasional theft from a vehicle.  The best way for you to keep your possessions where they belong is to keep them locked and make them hard for thieves to obtain.  A thief or burglar is generally a lazy criminal who is looking for the “easiest score”.  If your neighbors all lock their cars outside, except for you, you now become the “easiest score”.   Also, if you have a garage, it is best to keep your vehicle inside.  This not only makes your vehicle more secure from thieves, but also more secure from vandals.  Almost all vehicles vandalized in town have been sitting in a driveway or on the street.

6.       If Winnebago is such a small town with low crime, what exactly do officers do when on shift?

While we do have a fairly low rate of violent crime, our officers are quite busy with property crimes in town and traffic details.  We handle DUIs and driving on a suspended or revoked Driver’s License.  While it only takes about 45 minutes for a DUI traffic stop, it consumes about 4 hours (or 1/3) of an officer’s shift, including the stop, transporting to the jail, performing the official breathalyzer test, completing necessary paperwork, and submitting the report for charging.  In addition, officers are often called to help settle domestic disputes, child custody disputes, investigate suspicious automobiles, and help citizens who have locked their keys in their car.  Also, a night-shift officer will put an average of 100 miles on a car a night (considering Winnebago is just under four square miles, that’s a lot of driving!).  This drive time is spent patrolling, being pro-active, and completing special assignments.    Our officers aren’t “bored” because we have a low crime rate, instead, we have a low crime rate because our officers are BUSY!

7.       When should I call to report suspicious activity?

If you find yourself thinking “should I call the police?”, then CALL US!  If something is bothering you enough to consider calling us, the safest course of action is to give us a call.  The best number to have a Winnebago Officer dispatched to your home or business is 815-282-2600, which is a-non-emergency line for the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department’s E-911 Center.  During the hours of 8am and 2pm, our office line of 815-335-2351 is answered by staff.  After 2pm, this line is forwarded to the Non-Emergency Line.  For the quickest response from an officer in a non-emergency situation, you should be in the habit of calling the 815-282-2600 Non-Emergency Line.  Of course, if you feel it is an emergency or something that requires immediate action or attention, dial 9-1-1 right away.

      8.   What are the new restrictions on the Graduated Driver's License?
            
            The new GDLs do affect a juveniles ability to drive after a certain hour.  Click here for a curfew guide. 
            Also, the Illinois Secretary of State website has a great guide to the restrictions.  
            Click here to view the website.