C.O.P. Bytes keeps an eye on the neighborhood

If you want to know why the squad car was down the street last night or if your neighbors got fined for watering after hours in North Aurora just sign up for C.O.P.Bytes.

Officer Robyn Stecklein is the crime prevention officer and community police officer for the village and she has been sending out the weekly newsletter for nearly three years to about 1500 subscribers.

"I give out safety tips and talk about any scams to be aware of in the area, I talk about safety in the streets on Halloween and in the last couple of weeks I talked about fireworks safety," Stecklein said.

She even leaves a little room in each newsletter for a joke or two sent in by her readers.

At the end of June and into July, Stecklein's newsletter reported police activity for car burglaries, vehicle lockouts, accidents, lost dogs, loud music, fireworks, rowdy juveniles and even a report of two stray cats attacking a dog.

Most recently C.O.P.Bytes alerted residents about a rash of car break-ins in North Aurora.

Subscribers received an emergency email alerting them to the break-ins and she received thank you notes from readers who were pleased to get notice of the problem so they could help prevent burglaries in their own vehicles.

Stecklein also reports on the results of the speed trailer that tracks vehicles and average speeds. At the end of June the remote trailer tracked 1383 cars traveling past McDuffee Circle one week at an average speed of 20 miles per hour in a 25 mile zone. One vehicle was clocked at 47 mph during that week of monitoring.

Stecklein's tips can be found on the village's website but she says that many people find that they read her messages more regularly if they subscribe and the get the C.O.P.Bytes newsletter sent directly to their emails.

In addition to the newsletter Stecklein is found out on the road most days giving presentations to schools, churches and businesses in North Aurora.

Stecklein says the North Aurora Police Department can handle most requests for business and community groups.

"I have a meeting at a church next week about the availability of 911 on cell phones and in September I'm going to a community care center to talk about safety tips for in-home care workers for seniors," she reported.

Stecklein takes scout troops in to see the village jail when there are no prisoners in lockup.

"The kids can see there's no TV, no reading, no games in the cells, just a bed, toilet and sink," the officer said.

She tells all the students that they have to learn to read and write to be a police officer. "We write a lot of reports," she adds.

North Aurora Police officers will be offering free children's car seat checks at North Aurora Days during the Touch a Truck Event from 9 a.m. to noon on Sat. Aug. 4 at Mooseheart Field house parking lot. The police will also help parents establish an ID for their kids with photos and fingerprints.

The officer has been on the force eight and a half years and was the first female officer on the force. She says there are three women on the force now.

In her off time, Stecklein loves riding her bicycle on long trips. A few years ago she participated in a bike across Iowa. "We rode about 75 miles a day," she remembered.

As a community officer Stecklein has direct contact with North Aurora residents and she welcomes new subscribers to her newsletter and email alerts.

Send officer Stecklein an email to be added to her email list. rstecklein@vil.north-aurora.il.us.