Neighborhood Police Officer (NPO) Program
The position of Neighborhood Police Officer (NPO) is a three year assignment, and, as of January 2016, Officer Chris Jones is the NPO assigned to Beat 800, which includes Enos Park.
His cell phone number is the same as the one you previously had for Officer Dorsey (217-741-0981). However, please remember that if you need an immediate response your best bet is to call dispatch at 788-8311 or 911 for emergencies, as he may not be on duty at the time of your call. Officer Jones has been with the Springfield Police Department for 11 years, with a majority of his time spent in the Enos Park area. He has also been assigned as a School Resource Officer at Southeast High School, Junior Police Academy and as a Recruit Supervisor at the Illinois State Police Academy. He is on the recruiting team and is a Field Training Officer. He has been married to his wife, Karen, for 15 years, and he has two children, Conner, 13 and Alyssa, 10. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his family, particularly to places in the Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska. He also enjoys watching his children play sports.
Neighborhood Watch Program
Improving the safety and security of the residents and properties in Enos Park is a primary mission of the Enos Park Neighborhood Association. By coordinating different types of neighborhood watches the Association has been able to increase the number of eyes and ears working together to help their neighbors and the Neighborhood Police Officers to help prevent crime in our area.
Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the Springfield Police Department at 217-788-8311. This is the non-emergency number and can be used to dispatch an officer on duty to check out a suspicious person or vehicle in the area.
Street and alley patrols check the neighborhood on an ongoing basis to identify property with garbage on the ground, trash in yards or against garages and along alleyways, high grass and weeds, broken windows and doors, damaged roofs and gutters, and general unkempt or distracting image.
Group walks and cookouts are held during the spring and summer to show neighborhood solidarity and support for our police force. Flyers are passed out to all residents with information regarding emergency procedures and contact numbers. A cookout for all Springfield police officers and residents who participate in the program follows the walk.
Off Duty Police Patrols
In 2012, EPNIA began hiring off duty police officers to patrol the neighborhood on a regular basis. Anywhere from 2-4 officers at a time are on the streets in 4-hour shifts, patrolling within the boundaries of Enos Park. Having extra police officers in a concentrated area who do not have to leave the neighborhood to respond to other calls greatly increases their visibility. It also allows them the opportunity to spend time interacting with people who are out and about, making contact with as many people in the neighborhood as possible. While the off duty officers sometimes work undercover or provide security for special events in the neighborhood, their primary focus is making their presence known and being pro-active to prevent problems before they occur.
K-9 Units
Both the Springfield Police Department and the Sangamon County Sheriff have K-9 units, and both groups conduct training exercises in Enos Park. Since Enos Park Development owns vacant houses throughout the neighborhood, it provides an opportunity for the K-9 officers to allow the dogs to practice searching a residence and gives them different scenarios to use.
Park District Police
Because there are two parks located within the boundaries of Enos Park, officers from the Springfield Park District also patrol the parks and surrounding areas.
The renovation of Enos Park in 2008 added additional lighting throughout the park, rerouted the walking paths, and opened up the pavilion area for better visibility to deter negative activities. These combined efforts, along with the vigilance of the Park District Police and the Springfield Police Department, have made the park a gathering place for families and has significantly reduced loitering and criminal activity in the parks.
