Burr Ridge Cops Make More Traffic Stops Than Nearby Agencies

BURR RIDGE, IL – Over the last couple of decades, Burr Ridge police have been more aggressive and consistent than nearby agencies with their traffic stops.

In 2024, Burr Ridge police conducted 3,841 stops, which works out to more than 10 a day.

Meanwhile, La Grange and Western Springs logged 2,925 and 1,694 stops, respectively. Both towns have larger populations than Burr Ridge.

With its 2024 stops, Burr Ridge officers issued tickets a third of the time, which is consistent with the department's history since 2004. By comparison, 21 percent of La Grange's traffic stops resulted in tickets in 2024. Western Springs was at 27 percent.

Patch examined the traffic stop reports for the last couple of decades in Burr Ridge, Western Springs and La Grange.

Police departments must submit the information annually to the state, with the 2024 data being the latest.

In 2024, La Grange saw a 50 percent jump in traffic stops.

That was a year after a village trustee, Lou Gale, encouraged the police chief to become more aggressive with traffic enforcement.

"Chief, light these people up. Write some tickets," Gale said. "I want to put that on the record. I don't know whether we have a reputation as a place that writes too many tickets. I wouldn't mind that for a while if we have pedestrian safety issues."

Before 2015, La Grange officers often ticketed more than 40 percent of drivers during stops. The same was the case in Western Springs.

In 2015, Illinois enacted a law banning police departments from enforcing citation and arrest quotas, although most agencies said they maintained no such practices.

Check out the number of traffic stops and the percentages that resulted in tickets:

Burr Ridge
2024: 3,841/33%
2023: 3,498/39%
2022: 3,300/35%
2021: 2,411/33%
2020: 3,958/32%
2019: Unavailable statewide
2018: 3,843/31%
2017: 4,248/29%
2016: 4,635/29%
2015: 4,820/34%
2014: 4,546/38%
2013: 4,341/35%
2012: 4,401/32%
2011: 4,853/28%
2010: 4,119/36%
2009: 5,788/34%
2008: 4,761/38%
2007: 3,508/39%
2006: 3,483/46%
2005: 3,457/46%
2004: 3,549/55%

La Grange
2024: 2,925/21%
2023: 1,963/23%
2022: No report
2021: No report
2020: 2,340/18%
2019: Unavailable statewide
2018: 2,283/30%
2017: 2,970/34%
2016: 2,837/29%
2015: 2,910/32%
2014: 3,294/35%
2013: 3,346/46%
2012: 3,024/42%
2011: 6,061/35%
2010: 8,001/42%
2009: 6,788/41%
2008: 3,822/57%
2007: 3,117/62%
2006: 3,159/63%
2005: 2,493/69%
2004: 3,492/66%

Western Springs
2024: 1,694/27%
2023: 1,385/21%
2022: 2,214/6%
2021: 2,507/7%
2020: 2,563/21%
2019: Unavailable statewide
2018: 2,731/22%
2017: 2,781/22%
2016: 1,623/28%
2015: 2,284/33%
2014: 2,651/45%
2013: 2,901/41%
2012: 2,704/44%
2011: 3,055/49%
2010: 2,369/40%
2009: 2,248/48%
2008: 3,035/59%
2007: 2,943/64%
2006: 2,904/67%
2005: 1,900/50%
2004: 2,293/46%

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation