Three teens were arrested in Rockford this weekend, suspected of stealing cars and using them during recent crime sprees.
Rockford Assistant Deputy Police Chief Doug Pann says juvenile crime was the major factor in a big increase in violent crime in the city last year.
“We’ve got some groups we know are engaging in the robberies and auto thefts. It’s all tied together," he said. "We’ve been working on this for several months now, identifying them and getting them off the street. And we will continue to do that until it stops.”
Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey says the police department can only do so much: Other areas of the criminal justice system need to step up. “What is happening to young people after we arrest them?” Morrissey asks, “Currently the system is disconnected. We don’t typically know until we re-arrest those individuals. And it gets frustrating for our officers to go through.”
Morrissey says 2016 is a “pivotal year” for Rockford, with cooperation with other law enforcement agencies as key. He says to expect a new local law enforcement collaboration soon, but he still wants state and federal buy-in.
