Suburban Cops Prepping For NATO Summit

North suburban police departments are training to back up Chicago police for the NATO summit May 20-21 – and to handle any incidents that spill out beyond the city limits.

Since the Department of Homeland Security issued an alert for potential terrorism on the May 1 anniversary of the bin Laden killing, the extra training can't hurt.

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Regarding the NATO summit, “There’s concern throughout the suburbs – whether it’s northern, western or southern – that something could expand out of Chicago,” said Morton Grove Police Chief Mark Erickson.

“For the most part, it’s just a concern," he said. "There’s not a whole lot we can say about it, other than this event is coming to Chicago. It will probably stay in Chicago. But the north, south and west suburbs are kind of in a pre-preparing mode just to be safe.”

And, if there is a need, local police will be ready, said Glenview Police Sergeant David Sostak. 

"Our Department has been conducting training and we’re working in conjunction with surrounding towns in the event mutual aid is needed."

Niles Police Chief  Dean Strzelecki noted some specific concerns.

Squatters’ rights?

“We're not expecting protesters, but it could be squatting,” he said. “They've got to stay somewhere, so they could pitch a tent in open fields.

 “We're not saying we're not going to get protesters--but we don't think there's anything to protest here in the North Shore area.”

First line of defense, as always, is the ordinary citizen.

 "Obviously we'll ask the public to be aware of anything strange, like we always ask the public to do, but we're not expecting (terrorist acts),” said Strzelecki.

Suburbs likely won't get called to city

 The proverbial pound of prevention is worth something greater for police departments.

“I think law enforcement’s job is  to be prepared for any angle,” Erickson said. “I think they’ll (Chicago police) do a great job. The feds will do a great job. I think this will go fairly smooth.

“Chicago has the manpower to handle just about anything.”

Indeed, Strzelecki said CPD has told suburban departments they won’t get called in to help in handling demonstrations.

 “But in law enforcement, you never know,” he said. “If something else happens besides NATO, it could be that they call us. God forbid if a plane crashes or something and they're busy with NATO."

Departments training for months

Members of suburban police departments have been spotted in training exercises. Such rehearsals have been going on since the NATO summit was first sited in Chicago last year.

“We have regular meetings with suburban chiefs and CPD all year long. This is nothing new,” said Erickson. “In suburbia, we have been in contact with CPD for many years, and with the feds all along. We all meet regularly on a variety of issues. This is just another issue.”

Suburbs have handled dignitaries' visits

Most suburbs have regular procedures on file to handle the big events and visits of dignitaries.

Erickson recalls Morton Grove police handling Queen Elizabeth driving down Dempster without incident. President George W. Bush visited a nearby public safety facility. Suburban police had involvement when President Obama savored his election with the famed Grant Park rally.

“We have all these suburban task forces who train together,” Erickson said. “We have mobile field forces, SWAT teams, burglary teams. Some of those encompass 100 towns, 125 towns, that routinely train together.”

Cops coordinate in consortiums

The main suburban police coordinating body is the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System, Strzelecki said. The operation consists of two branches.  The EST Emergency Services Team handles heavy-duty situations like hostages, barricaded subjects, SWAT teams and the like. The Mobile Field Force handles situations like protesters and demonstrations, which are typically non-violent. In fact, police may need to protect the demonstrators, or just move them along, Strzelecki said. 

Niles police are “all training at different levels,” he added. “All the officers on patrol and investigations. I've got mobile field force members and EST getting trained. Others are getting basic mobilization treatment. They're getting that training, such as how to wear a gas mask under the (riot helmet).

Suburban police chiefs communicate

Erickson said he talks to neighboring  communities’ police chiefs at least monthly.

“We have regular meetings and most of us are friends anyway,”  he said.  “For the most part, we’ve known each other for a long time. It’s nice when you want to bounce something off another guy, you’re not calling some distant chief, you’re calling a friend.”

Erickson said police work is much more sophisticated and technology-driven than when he started a generation ago. He recalls squad cars without computers. Erickson worked on one of the department’s first computers – an Apple – in the early 1990s.  “Especially post-9/11, our world has really changed in law enforcement.”

--Pam DeFiglio contributed to this article.