Message from the Chief of Police

 

Welcome to Geneseo! No matter what brings you to our beautiful city, the Geneseo Police Department is here to protect and enhance the safety and well being of our community. We encourage each and every one of you to act in partnership with the Police Department to address crime and quality of life issues, as well as increase the public’s understanding of law enforcement.

On behalf of the men and women of the Geneseo Police Department, we are very honored to serve you!

Casey Disterhoft
Chief of Police

Notice!

As per Illinois State mandate beginning June 19, 2018, the Geneseo Police Department will no longer be a Public Safety Answering Point. We will no longer be able to dispatch the ambulance for the public. You will have to dial 911 if you have an emergency or need any ambulance services, please DO NOT call our non-emergent phone number. 911 calls will be answered by either the Henry County Sherriff’s Office or Kewanee Police Department. Please assist us with this transition!

Tips for Preventing Vehicle Burglaries

  1. Keep your vehicle locked.
  2. Park in a well-lit area.
  3. Stash your valuables before parking.
  4. Close all windows and sunroofs.
  5. Keep cash, wallets, purses, electronics, and any other items out of sight.
  6. Obtain a vehicle alarm.
  7. If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, contact the police.

Identity Theft

Are you a victim of Identity Theft? Do you have questions about freezing your credit report? Read the Illinois Attorney General’s Identity Theft Resource Guide.

 

SCAM ALERT

The Geneseo Police Department is warning residents about some potential scams. A recent potential scam is an unsolicited call from people stating they are from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  The IRS will contact persons via postal service mail and will not call people regarding a potential lawsuit on back taxes or fines.  Please do not provide any type of personal information.  As stated on the IRS website, www.IRS.gov:

Note that the IRS will never:

  1. Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
  2. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
  3.  Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
  4.  Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  5. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

Things to Remember:

  • Although senior citizens may be the preferred target group for such scams and cons, anyone can be a victim of a con artist, regardless of age.
  • The best prevention is to talk with a trusted family member or friend before making any financial investments or contacts.
  • Ask your attorney or a local bank questions about any request you receive to forward money or asking for money.
  • Never give out your bank account numbers, credit card numbers or other personal information  to anyone you do not know or have not checked out.
  • Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Any unsolicited contacts should be discarded.

 

Gun Locks

Keep our children safe! Project Child Safe and the Geneseo Police Department have teamed up to bring FREE gun locks to our community. Stop by the Police Department and pick up your gun lock and gun safety information!

 

Outdoor Storm Sirens

On June 25, 2014, the City of Geneseo updated storm siren locations within the city limits; adding a new siren and relocating an existing siren. A new siren has been added to the water stand pipe located at the SW corner of Chicago and U.S. Highway 6. The siren previously located at Boelen Field has been relocated to the former civil defense building north on Illinois Route 82. Braniff Communications assisted the city with the relocations, coverage mapping and purchase of the sirens. The upgrades will better alert outdoor areas in the event of severe weather. The siren locations also add redundancy in case of a siren failure. The sirens are tested at 10:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.