Joliet PD Starts Birthday Program For Kids In Quarantine

Press release from the City of Joliet:

Since the Stay-At-Home order was issued by Governor Pritzker, all of our lives have been changed in ways we never previously considered.

Things that all of us took for granted are no longer taking place. Tragically, many of our youth are missing out on events that they will never be able to replace. Specifically, I think of all the young athletes in high school and college who have trained for most of their lives to perform and now have lost sport seasons; the high school seniors who missed out on prom and the last days of high school; or the thousands of area high school and college students who are unable to attend their graduations and celebrate with their families.

All of us are finding new ways to cope with our current situation. One small thing which is
happening in our city is the occurrence of grass-root parades for our medical professionals;
where people can show their appreciation for the hard work they are doing while practicing
safe social distancing. Another example is the Joliet Police Department’s implementation of a
Birthday Police Squad Request Program. Upon request, a Police Officer will stop by a birthday
child’s house to flash the emergency lights and sirens. While it is a small gesture, I commend
the men and women of the Joliet Police Department for taking the time to bring happiness to
our young people who cannot understand what is happening in our world. If your child has a
birthday coming up during this time of lockdown and you wish to have a squad visit, please
complete the request form which can be found on the the City of Joliet’s website
at: https://www.joliet.gov/departments/police-department/resources/documents-permitapplications/birthday-squad-request.

Thank you to all of our first responders for their hard work, thank you to their families that now
share the risks of their jobs, and thank you to all Joliet residents for pulling together during this
time of pandemic.

Robert O’Dekirk
Mayor

The full release can be found here.

This press release was produced by the City of Joliet. The views expressed here are the author’s own.