Naperville residents and members of law enforcement sat down to discuss community concerns and build relationships Oct. 15 at a ‘Chat with the Chief’ event.
An open forum for discussion
The Naperville Police Department holds the gatherings several times a year, with this being the fourth event of 2026.
‘Chat with the Chief’ rotates between different neighborhoods around the city, giving residents in all areas a chance to speak with the department.
It’s part of what Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said makes the event so important.
“It’s so good to hear from the different community members and learn what’s going on in their neck of the woods,” Arres said. “And one of the promises I made as chief was always to keep this one of the biggest cities in the state, keeping it small-town feel. And this is a way that I’m able to execute on that.”
Arres added that they hear a variety of issues at each event.
“Sometimes it’s speeding vehicles in neighborhoods. Sometimes it’s juvenile problems. Sometimes it’s tech-related questions,” he said.
This time around, conversations surrounded automatic license plate readers, department resources for residents with autism, and the new Mobile Crisis Intervention Team.
All-ages conversations
People of all ages came out to chat, including three Neuqua Valley High School students practicing civic engagement as part of a government class.
“I want us to learn more, just in general, about how the law works and the different, like, the chain of command,” Adya Sharma, a Neuqua Valley senior, said. “The first person we sat down with was the sergeant. So I was like, what does that entail? And how is that different from what the Chief does, stuff like that.”
Practicing proactive policing
Whether residents come out of curiosity or with more specific questions, Arres said these discussions help his department practice proactive policing.
“We protect and serve. And it’s so easy to forget the ‘serve’ of ‘protect and serve,’ which is, you serve the community,” Arres said. “And you know, they need something, that’s what we’re supposed to do. So this is that opportunity to hear, hey, here’s the initiatives we’re focusing on. Does that align with the concerns that you have, and see if that matches up. And if it doesn’t, we may have to reprioritize some things based on the feedback we get throughout the year.”
Arres added that open discussions like those at ‘Chat with the Chief’ can help them stay on top of crime and other issues in the city.
“We’re never going to be able to solve every problem, but we’re always going to be on it and doing something about it,” he said.
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