ISP to conduct ACE patrols in July
ACE patrols allow the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs.
The ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. Officers working the detail will be watchful for motorists who show signs of impaired driving, operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver's license, and transporting open alcoholic beverages, as well as improper seatbelt and child restraint usage, distracted driving, and other Illinois Vehicle Code violations.
Alcohol and drug impairment are estimated to be a factor in more than 47% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 39 minutes in the United States. The ACE program allows officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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ISP to conduct ACE patrols in July
PESOTUM – Illinois State Police Troop 7 Commander Heather Apperson announces ISP will conduct Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols in Macon and Vermilion counties during July. ACE patrols allow the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs. The ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. Officers working the detail will be watchful for motorists who show signs of impaired driving, operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver's license, and transporting open alcoholic beverages, as well as improper seatbelt and child restraint usage, distracted driving, and other Illinois Vehicle Code violations. Alcohol and drug impairment are estimated to be a factor in more than 47% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 39 minutes in the United States. The ACE program allows officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Yahoo
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Springfield representative listed in notes of Minnesota shooter, she said
A congresswoman from Illinois was listed in notes belonging to the man accused of murdering a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, the congresswoman said. U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski wrote on the social media platform X that Capitol Police informed her that her name was included on the murder suspect's notes. Budzinski offered condolences to the family of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were both killed after Vance Luther Boelter, 57, allegedly entered their home, a federal affidavit said. Prior to that killing, Boelter allegedly went to the home of Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman, shooting him and his wife, Yvette, disguised as a law enforcement officer and wearing a silicone mask covering his head and face, prosecutors said, which was early on June 14. The two underwent surgery and were expected to recover, USA Today reported. Budzinski in the post lastly decried political violence. "As I've said before, there is absolutely no place in this country for political violence. We must be a nation that values civility and mutual respect - always," she wrote. Drew Evans, who is the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent, said officials from Illinois were listed, as well as officials in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Nebraska. This "Manifesto" listing other potential targets, according to the St. Cloud Times, was found when authorities searched a vehicle left behind by Boelter. Boelter was arrested on the night of June 15 after an intense manhunt and faces both state and federal murder charges, including multiple counts of murder and stalking. More: 11 Wisconsin lawmakers named in manifesto of Minnesota gunman Authorities recovered more than 600 names, but "very few" Illinoisans were listed, Gov. JB Pritzker said at a news conference. Pritzker received a call from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz following the shooting, letting him know what had happened, Pritzker said. Pritzker was reportedly the keynote speaker at a dinner in Minneapolis on June 13. Pritzker is in communication with Illinois State Police among others in monitoring the situation, he wrote in a statement. The Illinois State Police issued the following statement to the SJ-R regarding Illinois lawmakers being a potential target: "The Illinois State Police (ISP) takes all threats to elected and public officials very seriously. ISP has communicated with House and Senate leaders about security steps legislators can take, as well as provided ISP contact information should a legislator need additional/specific security recommendations based on their specific situation or environment. The suspect in the shootings in Minnesota is in custody. The incident appears to be the work of that single individual and there are no broader threats at this time. ISP is vetting information found among the suspect's property and provided to ISP by Minnesota and federal law enforcement agencies, as it relates to Illinois elected officials, potentially in both paper and electronic form. ISP will continue to communicate with Illinois legislators as additional information is available and assessed." Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@ This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: US Rep. Budzinski was listed in notes belonging to Minnesota shooter, she said
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17-06-2025
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Indiana trooper accused of defrauding company over $800 soundbar
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. (WXIN) – An Indiana State trooper accused of theft attempted to defraud a company out of more than $800, investigators say. Andrew Kocsis, 39, is charged with felony counts of theft and obstruction of justice, along with a misdemeanor count of fraud. Kocsis has served as an ISP trooper for 17 years and was most recently assigned to the General Headquarters in Indianapolis. The charges surround a JBL-brand rally bar — a soundbar that can be attached to utility vehicles — that costs about $810. According to the probable cause affidavit, Kocsis ordered the rally bar from a Minnesota company in September 2024. When the package arrived at his home, he claimed the box contained landscaping paving bricks, according to court documents, implying that someone had stolen the rally bar and swapped it out with the pavers. He emailed the company photos of the package. An employee responded with a message stating that he would contact UPS and have the police investigate the matter, according to the documents. The employee added that he didn't see any damage to the box, which would indicate that it had been damaged or tampered with during shipping. He also noted that the paving stones would've destroyed the box if they'd been rattling around inside during shipping. A photo from UPS confirmed delivery of the package on Sept. 5, 2024. Kocsis called the business and informed the employee that he was a police officer, court documents said. He allegedly emailed the employee identification, including his driver's license and ISP ID card. The employee agreed to reimburse Kocsis for his purchase ($809.95 was the exact amount). According to court documents, something about the situation nagged at the employee, who wondered if the customer had scammed him or perhaps stolen Kocsis' identity, The employee contacted Indiana State Police on Oct. 18, 2024, more than a month after the disputed delivery. An ISP investigator interviewed the employee, who had packed the rally bar himself and believed the photos Kocsis sent were inconsistent with how the packing materials would have responded to being bombarded by paving bricks. The investigator saw 'no indication' of damage to the box or 'even scratches from the shifting bricks,' according to court documents. On Oct. 22, 2024, investigators talked to Kocsis about the rally bar. He said he received the package, which had three bricks duct-taped together inside instead of the soundbar. He considered the issue resolved with the refund and said he'd thrown away the box and the bricks. He also claimed a neighbor told him they'd seen a 'suspicious couple' who 'appeared to be potential burglars' around the time of the delivery. Investigators consulted a UPS security supervisor, who looked at the photos Kocsis had sent. She, like the company employee, was skeptical of Kocsis' claims. The bricks were not tightly packed inside the box, the supervisor said, and that meant they would have slipped around inside and done 'extensive damage' to the box and packing materials. The photo taken by the UPS driver who delivered the package showed no damage to the box. The supervisor believed it was 'nearly impossible' for an employee to switch out the contents and then walk away with the large rally bar without being seen. In her view, the bricks were likely swapped in after the package was delivered, the affidavit said. On Nov. 8, 2024, in the presence of his attorney, Kocsis talked to investigators again. He maintained he didn't receive the rally bar. He told the investigators he'd purchased a new rally bar from a different company in October and had also bought one during a 'private sale' in June. The one he bought in June didn't have a serial number. During an examination of Kocsis' phone, investigators found a text conversation between Kocsis and a friend. In the conversation, they discussed the installation of a rally bar. The timestamp showed the conversation happened a couple of hours after Kocsis called the company about his problematic delivery. The friend, a coworker, told police he'd helped Kocsis install a rally bar on a Kawasaki Mule on Sept. 6, 2024. The rally bar was out of its package but was in a shipping box with a shipping label. The mounting brackets and installation hardware were still sealed in bags, leading Kocsis' friend to believe the equipment was new, according to court documents. The friend said Kocsis never said he received a package filled with paving bricks. In fact, Kocsis texted him the day the package was delivered, saying he'd received the rally bar and asking for help installing it. On Nov. 18, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant a Kocsis' home and seized two rally bars. One of them—the rally bar Kocsis claimed he'd purchased in a private sale—had been 'dismantled, cut open and made completely inoperable.' Stickers for various parts had been removed from the internal components, leaving behind nothing investigators could use to identify the rally bar's point of origin. Further investigation found Kocsis allegedly attempted a similar deception with a $670 order for a horn kit, front floor mat set, pro sheet cover and storage cover for a Kawasaki Mule. According to court documents, he claimed he never received the items, which he had ordered on Sept. 5, 2024. UPS took a photo of the delivery on Sept. 7, 2024, confirming the package had arrived, so the company didn't refund Kocsis. The state trooper filed a charge dispute with Capital One. On Sept. 20, 2024, he filed a theft report in St. Joseph County claiming the items never arrived at his home. Again, Kocsis sent messages to his friend, according to court documents. On Sept. 8, 2024, he asked his friend to help him install a Kawasaki horn. The friend helped him with the installation on Sept. 9, 2024. Kocsis is due to appear for an initial court hearing on July 8. ISP confirmed Kocsis has been placed on administrative leave without pay while the investigation continues.
