NPD Adding More Police to Constitution Trail
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: July 9, 2012
NORMAL - More police are patrolling the Constitution Trail in Normal.
It's in response to a few mob-style attacks that were reported late last month.
One involved four teenagers who are no facing charges.
The group is accused of punching someone in the face and kicking them in the chest.
Another attack involved a fight between two groups of three people. A young boy ended up in the hospital with a head injury.
No one's been arrested in this incident.
Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said Monday these cases aren't unusual to the trail.
But he said his department is responding by adding more officers on bikes and asking the public to keep an eye on their surroundings.
"As folks are traveling the trail, be alert and if they see something out of the ordinary, if they've got their cell phone, they can certainly contact us. We'd be happy to come out and talk with folks. We'd rather find out it's nothing than have somebody get attacked," he said.
Bleichner also stressed the right times to use the trail.
It's only open between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset.
Both of the reported attacks happened after hours. Bleichner said stay off the trail during that time.
Normal also has volunteers who patrol the trail as safety ambassadors.
It's in response to a few mob-style attacks that were reported late last month.
One involved four teenagers who are no facing charges.
The group is accused of punching someone in the face and kicking them in the chest.
Another attack involved a fight between two groups of three people. A young boy ended up in the hospital with a head injury.
No one's been arrested in this incident.
Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said Monday these cases aren't unusual to the trail.
But he said his department is responding by adding more officers on bikes and asking the public to keep an eye on their surroundings.
"As folks are traveling the trail, be alert and if they see something out of the ordinary, if they've got their cell phone, they can certainly contact us. We'd be happy to come out and talk with folks. We'd rather find out it's nothing than have somebody get attacked," he said.
Bleichner also stressed the right times to use the trail.
It's only open between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset.
Both of the reported attacks happened after hours. Bleichner said stay off the trail during that time.
Normal also has volunteers who patrol the trail as safety ambassadors.
