Police set up checkpoint at Rolling Meadows apartment complex

A few weeks ago, Rolling Meadows police surveyed residents at the 12 Oaks At Woodfield apartment complex. About 77 percent of those who responded said they wanted a greater police presence, said Police Chief Steven Williams.

On Monday, they got it.

About 9 a.m., 13 of the complex's entrances were blocked off with concrete barriers and construction horses. Two police officers ran a checkpoint in front of the only open driveway. Every driver who entered was stopped and told to roll down the window.

The checkpoints will continue every day "for at least several weeks," Williams said.

Domestic violence, violations of orders of protection and theft from vehicles are common complaints at 12 Oaks, Williams said. The checkpoints and having two uniformed officers at the complex every day will reduce those crimes, he said.

"The bad people will see the police and their gang-banging friends will see the police," he said. "We want to ensure children can play outside and people can park their cars and not have them broken into."

Police are passing out pamphlets on crime prevention and social services. They are not asking for identification or driver's licenses, Williams said.

"It's a very slight inconvenience to drive an extra 400 feet," he said. "Why would anyone care? No one has a constitutional right to 13 entrances."

One person who cares is Michael Sparks, the owner of the complex immediately southwest of Route 53 and Algonquin Road.

"There has never been a killing here or a beating or a rape," Sparks said. "Police said there were reports of domestic disputes. How is a roadblock going to stop domestic violence?"

Between 1,800 and 2,000 people live at 12 Oaks, including about 300 children, Sparks said. About 67 percent are Hispanic and about 35 percent are black, he said.

Sparks said the attention his complex is getting is related to the racial makeup of its residents.

Rolling Meadows Mayor Ken Nelson denies the implication.

"Absolutely not. This has nothing to do with racial profiling," Nelson said. "We are concerned about the safety of those residents. That is all."

Lenny Rafael has lived at 12 Oaks for a year. He called the checkpoints "extremely embarrassing."

"It looks bad," said Rafael, standing in front of a concrete barricade on Monday. "How am I supposed to invite people over? I just don't understand how doing this will fight crime."

Sparks said he employs eight part-time people and one full-time person to work security.

Typically between six and eight people a day stop by the apartment's leasing office to inquire about renting units.

That number shrank to zero on Monday. It's a trend Sparks expects to continue as long as the checkpoints are there.

"If I were to dream up a way for the police to run me out of business, I couldn't think of a better plan," Sparks said. "I'm at a loss. I have never in my 40 years of experience heard of a police department doing something like this."

But Williams said the move is necessary to reduce crime in the present and also prepare for the future when the city may be involved in redeveloping the area.

Pine Tree Commercial Realty of Northbrook has options to buy three small strip shopping centers in the area and 12 Oaks at Woodfield. Pine Tree plans office towers up to 20 stories tall, retail, senior housing and a hotel. It wants creation of special taxing powers in the area to help fund the project.

Discussions with Pine Tree are ongoing, Williams said.

"The city may have to pony up and pay for relocation and other social services," he said. "It could happen in the next 18 months to two years."

Williams was unable to provide specific crime numbers for 12 Oaks on Monday.

The checkpoints may be intimidating to some people, he said.

"But I don't know how to make it not intimidating," Williams said. "Police control the roads. The roads are there for the public and we have the authority to slow traffic."

Another resident, Janina Homann, is more open to the idea than others.

"I was a little confused this morning and it was inconvenient, but I'll deal with it," Homann said. "It's not that big of a deal."

Some of the 13 entrances may never be reopened, Williams said.

"The city might want to leave some of the barricades in place," Williams said. "You know, in places like Barrington and Inverness, people pay a lot of money to live in a gated community."

Both Rafael and Homann have heard talk of some robberies in the area, but neither considers crime to be a problem at 12 Oaks.

Homann walks to her car alone at night. Sometimes, she sits outside to have a cigarette.

"If anything, it's a little noisy here at night," she said.

Sparks said he will try and sit down with city officials and discuss the checkpoints. He also plans to contact a civil rights lawyer.

He passed out a letter to all of his residents last week asking them to report drug dealers and suspicious activity.

"I am sorry to be writing this letter to you," the letter states. "Rolling Meadows Police Department has decided that our management has failed to stop crime at our property. We have asked them for statistics and other information but they don't seem to want to share this information with us."

The letter included the phone number to the Chicago American Civil Liberties Union office.

ACLU spokesman Ed Yohnka knows of no other police department that has set up checkpoints and barricades to reduce crime.

"It seems odd," he said. "I'm not sure why you need to set up concrete barriers to pass out crime pamphlets."