Bourbonnais police officers can now issue ordinance violations when it comes to theft and retail theft.

That came following a vote by trustees at Monday’s Bourbonnais board meeting.

Rather than arresting a person, officers can issue an ordinance violation.

This will be dealt with during the village’s adjudication hearing.

The fine range is $50 to $750, according to the amended ordinance.

“This proposed ordinance is so we can basically add another lower level of theft or retail theft in the village,” Deputy Police Chief Jason Sztuba said when asked to explain how the ordinance works.

“This stems from a lot of retail stores not wanting to participate in the criminal complaint process. So this will allow us to issue an ordinance violation instead of introducing those people into the court system.”

There are similar ordinances used by other communities in Kankakee County, Sztuba said,

“A lot of times the [businesses] just want their property back from, especially on the retail theft end, and then they don’t want to sign complaints.” Police Chief Dave Morefield said.

“This will give us a way to enforce the law at a lower level, at an ordinance level, and still be able to prosecute without having to go to state statute.”

Morefield said if it’s something that warrants further police action, officers can ask a victim or business if they want to sign a complaint.

“It’s kind of a case-by-case basis,” Morefield said.

”If they decide that they don’t want to sign the complaint, but we have enough evidence for an ordinance violation, we can issue that ordinance, because an ordinance only takes a preponderance of the evidence.

“It doesn’t require evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. That’s where the ordinances are going to come in.”