Dupage Policy Journal

Lombard Police Chief Roy Newton is proudly singing the praises of the town’s citizen police academy.

“Here in Lombard we’ve had the citizen police academy now for 25-plus years,” Newton recently reflected. “It’s something we look forward to doing every year, inviting our citizens to come and do a 10-week program. We’re one of the longer standing citizen police academy programs and we have a well-positioned alumni program.”

On the Village of Lombard website, the Lombard Citizens Academy Alumni Association’s (LCPAAA) main function is to “present and promote a positive image of law enforcement and the Lombard Police Department and to assist them when requested."

In addition, the group, which counts an active membership of roughly 50 members, also provides volunteer help at various local events when called on to do so by the department.

Newton adds LCPAAA’s contributions run much deeper.

“That’s one area where we’re in tune with the community,” he said. “I just believe that’s been a great part of what we do.”

Newton has also recently been busy pushing for changes to how some components of the criminal justice system operates.

“There’s no secret the Cook County Court System and bail system has been more open to releasing offenders on a lower bond, or no bond,” Newton told the DuPage Policy Journal in the wake of 18-year-old Marion Lewis being charged in connection with the deadly shooting of a 7-year-old Chicago girl at a McDonald’s drive-thru.

“That part is frustrating, when a department picks up an offender for a certain crime and they have a monitoring bracelet on their ankle from being released a few days ago,” he added. “People that are given bonds should have to come up with that amount to be released.”

Lewis now faces at least 19 counts, including murder, three counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault of a police officer. Others suspects in the killing of Jaslyn Adams are being sought. Her father, Jontae Adams, was also seriously wounded in the shooting.