Joliet Junior College police launch outreach initiative

The Joliet Junior College Police Department announced it is expanding its community outreach efforts with a new initiative.

The department is launching a Police and Community Engagement team which it said in a news release will raise funds to bridge the gap between police and the community.

“If you have a good relationship that’s built on mutual respect between the police department and the community it’s a great working partnership because the police can’t get anything done without supporting the community,” JJC Police Chief Brandon Campbell said in the release.

To grow those relationships, the department established the PACE Fund through the JJC Foundation to support various community events like a trunk or treat, a fire truck pull and special guest speakers.

The fund would also help continue department programs like Shop with a Cop, which started last December to assist local children in need, according to the news release.

“As a police department we take them on a shopping spree, if you will,” Campbell said in the release. “It’s trying to lift up some of the people in the community that may not be as fortunate as others due to certain circumstances, particularly last year due to COVID-19.”

Campbell also said that for the police department, “the only tangible thing we have is public trust. So if people don’t trust us, then we’re not doing our jobs.”

To help support the JJC Police Department’s initiatives, visit jjc.edu/donate and select JJC Police and Community Engagement Fund from the designation tab.