Pekau can run, but can’t hide from truth about Orland Park crime

By Ray Hanania

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, who is using his taxpayer-funded office to promote his Republican candidacy for Congress, continues to twist, distort and exaggerate facts about crime in the southwest suburbs.

Residents of Orland Park are very concerned about rising crime there. The “police blotters” have disappeared to make it seem like crime doesn’t exist.

But all you have to do is listen to a police scanner (download one on your mobile phone). You will be shocked by how many crimes are reported right around the corner from your homes.

Pekau, who doesn’t believe he has to be accountable to the taxpayers, insists crime is the lowest it has ever been. I’ve lived in Orland Park for more than 35 years and I have never seen so much crime. The Orland Mall is the biggest magnet. Rumors persist the village is helping provide security to the mall at taxpayer expense, at least through the election, to make Pekau look good.

Pekau wrote on his Facebook page: “Under my leadership, crime in Orland Park has fallen to the lowest rate in 27 years. We achieved safer streets through a common-sense approach based on working as a community, hiring the best police officers and prioritizing investigations.” A photo underneath asserts “Keith Pekau knows how to keep our streets safe.”

I could respect Pekau if he were not exploiting the issue and twisting data for his selfish political agenda. The truth is easy to find. Crime has been consistent during his term in office but was lower before he was elected. It rises and dips but the trend is upwards.

When residents question Pekau, he calls them names by responding with personal attacks and falsely accuses them of being anti-police.

The Orland Park Police are among the best in the southwest suburbs. Pekau is using them like political shields. Police can’t prevent crime. They can subdue and arrest criminals, and bring them to justice. Few do it better than the Orland Park Police.

While Pekau asserts crime is non-existent in Orland Park, there is one crime he screams about all the time because it is about him. Pekau blames “weasels” for stealing his giant, ugly “Pekau for Congress” political signs. Many are on the public easement, which is illegal. Also, why are political signs up more than 60 days before the election, anyway?

Pekau’s more responsible rival and former ally, Scott Kaspar, says Pekau is exaggerating the issue solely for his own benefit.

Kaspar wrote, “Keith put out a new video today in which he touts that Orland Park is the #1 safest city in Illinois. Other sources would dispute this. In fact, Alarms.org shows that Orland Park does not even show up in the Top 50 in Illinois.”

“Here is the 2019 ranking last relied upon by Orland Park, showing that Orland Park ranked #31,” Kaspar wrote. “Keith’s campaign claim relies on an alleged report from Safety.net, which apparently found Orland Park to be #1.”

The real crime is how “Politics Over People” distorts facts.

THE POLITICAL GRAPEVINE: Three candidates for Chicago mayor are demonstrating how you can be respectful and run for office without using the ugly rhetoric that has tarnished Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot‘s rhetoric. Ald. Raymond Lopez, Dr. Willie Wilson and Paul Vallas attended an Iftar marking the end of Ramadan at the home of Arab Chamber businessman Radi Abuhashish … State Rep. Cyril Nichols (D-32nd) introduced a law that offers MBE/WBE certification to Arab businesses as a “Minority” group … Anna Marie Kukec Tomczyk discussed her new book “We Are Eagles” at the Evergreen Park Public Library Thursday. Anna and I started together in the late 1970s at the old Southtown Economist newspaper.

Don’t you wish the politicians would spend more time on preventing utility companies like Nicor Gas from doubling prices? Where is CUB? Food prices are rising astronomically and nothing is being done by anyone. The value of your paycheck has dropped more than 25 percent. What’s your biggest complaint or worst experience about rising prices? I’d like to hear them and share with readers. Email me at [email protected]

Check out Ray Hanania’s columns and political podcasts at hanania.com.