Frequently Asked Questions

To become a cadet, you must reside within the allowable response area of the Crete Fire Department, be between 14 and 18 years old, be in excellent physical condition, be a person with high moral character, be a full-time student and maintain “C” grade point average in school, and read and agree to abide by the Cadet Program Guidelines.

To be a paid-on-call firefighter or paramedic, you must reside within the allowable response area of the Village of Crete, be at least 18 years of age, be of sound physical and mental health, and hold a valid drivers license. You will also be required to successfully complete a pre-employment physical, supply a photocopy of your driver’s license and social security card.

To become a firefighter, you will be required to complete a state certified Firefighter II academy approved by the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.

To become a paramedic you must be a licensed paramedic in the State of Illinois and a member of the South Cook County Emergency Medical System.

Yes, any passenger vehicle, including buses, motor homes and recreational vehicles, or commercial vehicle which is licensed by the State of Illinois is required by the Crete Municipal Code to have a Village sticker.

Yes, in some instances reports may be taken over the phone, though the majority of reports will require a police officer to come to your location. You may contact the Crete Police Department via telephone by dialing (708) 672-0911. The Police Department lobby is open 24 hours a day. Police Dept. Map

Copies of police reports may be obtained at the Crete Police Department. The hours of operation are 8:00am – 4:00pm (excluding holidays). A $20.00 fee is appplicable. Police Dept. Map

Please visit the Crete Township Hall located at 1367 Wood St., Crete IL. Township Hall Map

In order to determine whether your property has been painted with “tagging” or “graffiti”, you should contact the Crete Police Department at 708-672-0911 to file a report. Report a Crime

Call the Police Department at 708-672-0911 and request that your area be placed on selective traffic enforcement.

The Crete Police Department enforces the Illinois State Statue that dictates that noise coming from vehicles (i.e. loud stereos) cannot be heard more than 75ft away.

It is unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle or, if parked, to allow a motor vehicle to remain parked or standing in a public street or alley during or after snowfall in which there is an accumulation of two (2) inches of snow or more. Parking Ordinance

Persons less that 13 years of age must be in by 9:00 pm to 6:00 am. For persons 13 to 18 years of age must be in at 11:00 pm till 6:00 am Mon – Thurs and 12:01 am till 6:00 am Fri – Sun. Curfew Ordinance

Call the Will Couty Clerk at (815) 727-8592 for court date, after court payment information. Will County Court House

The following is an article written by Linda S. Forst

Getting pulled over by a police officer can be intimidating, frustrating and even dangerous for the motorist and the police officer. However, remembering some simple steps will help make your traffic stop as safe and as pleasant as possible.

Respond to the blue lights, and signal your intentions. The safest thing to do is to pull as far to the right as possible-using turn indicators to let the officer and other motorists know what you plan to do. If the roadway is clear and the officer doesn’t pass you, assume that your vehicle is the one being pulled over. Drive slowly on the right until you find a suitable and safe place to stop. Drive defensively.

Choose a safe location to pull off the road where you won’t impede the flow of traffic. You may also pull off the roadway onto the shoulder if the ground is firm. The officer will understand if you drive slowly looking for a suitable location.

Be aware that the violation may have occurred one or two miles before the traffic stop. This delay is due to the fact that most departments have developed strict procedures for officers to follow to ensure your safety and theirs. They’re required to give the location, vehicle and occupant description, and license plate to the dispatcher. The officer is also trying to locate the safest place to initiate the stop.

Remain in the vehicle unless the officer instructs otherwise. Distracted motorists have been known to leave the roadway and strike vehicles or individuals at a traffic stop, causing injury or even death.

Listen to the officer and comply with instructions. Drivers often assume they’re being stopped for a routine traffic matter, but the officer may be stopping you because your vehicle is similar to one just seen leaving the scene of a crime. Additionally, many people have warrants out for their arrest, are mentally unbalanced, or simply don’t like police officers. Many officers have experienced verbal and physical confrontations as a result of traffic stops. Consequently, the officer may initially be acting under the assumption that you’re a safety threat. Control over the situation can be accomplished by keeping yourself and your passengers in the vehicle with your hands visible.

If it’s a case of mistaken identity, you’ll be on your way as soon as it’s cleared up. If it’s a traffic stop, the officer will request your driver’s license, registration and insurance card. The officer may allow you to explain your actions; if so, you should speak calmly. If the officer saw you commit the violation, your statement isn’t necessary.

If your complaint is about the validity of the citation, then it must be handled through the courts. If the contact was unprofessional, complain to the police department. Police departments have procedures for lodging complaints against officers. Departments want to know if there’s a problem with an officer.

If you comply with the rationale behind an officer’s actions by following these steps, a traffic stop can be a pleasant experience.

In Crete, subjects dial 9-1-1 whenever they need a police, fire, or ambulance dispatched to their location for an emergency on both landlines and cellular/PCS devices. When the nature of their call requires an emergency medical response, they will be serviced by an emergency dispatcher (EMD).

When dialing 9-1-1 to report a medical emergency or accident, the EMD Dispatcher will ask you:

a) Your location
b) Your phone number
c) What is the nature of the emergency
d) What is the approximate age of the person(s) involved
e) Is the person conscious
f) Is the person breathing

In cases that are not deemed an emergency, please dial (708) 672-0911.

The office of the Village Hall is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm M-F and located 524 W. Exchange St., Crete Il.

Yes, the Crete Police Department will issue a special attention to your residence while you are out of town. Simply contact the Crete Police Department at 708-672-0911

Yes. Samples of the water are taken to the PDC Lab twice a month. The water is tested for bacteria, per EPA regulations.

Yes. Our water has 35-39 grains of hardness. We highly recommend every resident to purchase a water softner for their water.

To view the annual water report, visit our Water Department page.

Branches should be placed at the curbside, in the parkway, with the cut-side facing the curb. This makes for easier pick up, ensuring us to have more time to stay on schedule. We also have a time limit of fifteen minutes per household. Branches must come from the work of the resident, not a private company. Private companies are to make their own arrangements for branch removal. Branches that exceed 8 inches in diameter will be left in the parkway, to be picked up with a different piece of Village equipment. Please make notice that branches placed for pick up are not blocked by parked vehicles. Due to the chance of damaging the vehicle, the branches will be bypassed.

Leaves must be lined along the curbside. Do not put leaves, trees, signs, or other obstructions in the road. Leaf piles must be clear of parked vehicles. The leaf collecting machine must be able to drive along the curb without interference.

It is unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle or, if parked, to allow a motor vehicle to remain parked or standing in a public street or alley during or after snowfall in which there is an accumulation of two (2) inches of snow or more. Parking Ordinance (More)…

To schedule an appointment with the water department, call the Village Hall at 708-672-5431. Appointments can be scheduled for anytime Monday-Friday, from 7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. The Water Department will come out and check your pressure from the water meter. When they do that, they will advise what you should do next. If a line blow out is recommended, you will need to contact the Village Hall to schedule it for a Wednesday. Water line blow outs are only done on Wednesdays. At the time of the appointment, the homeowner must be there to sign the waiver- which states that the pipe line from the B-Box and everything into the house is the responsibility of the homeowner in the event of the blow out causing a pipe to break. If a tenant wants to have a blow out, the landlord must sign the waiver for it. Clear the area around the meter as best as possible to make it accessible.

You should never actually unplug it. We advise you to put it on by-pass. Even if the water softner is unplugged, water goes through it. If you disconnect it instead of putting it on by-pass, it will cause your house to have low water pressure.

Hydrants are flushed twice yearly. It is done around April and October, with varying dates. Signs are posted around town one week prior to flushing to inform the residents.

Branch chipping is a weekly service starting in early spring until the last full week of October. Chipping varies based on demand; the reason for this is the residents do a majority of their tree clean up during the summer months. All branches should be placed at the curb by 7:00 AM on Monday.

All water lines from the B-Box in the yard and into the house are the houseowner’s responsibility. The one exception is the water meter itself, which is Village property.

All issues with water billing should be addressed to the Village Hall at 708-672-5431. The water department is not involved in making bill adjustments, payments, or price rates.

Yes, any passenger vehicle, including buses, motor homes and recreational vehicles, or commercial vehicle which is licensed by the State of Illinois is required by the Crete Municipal Code to have a Village sticker.

Branch chipping is a weekly service starting in early spring until the last full week of October. Chipping varies based on demand; the reason for this is the residents do a majority of their tree clean up during the summer months. All branches should be placed at the curb by 7:00 AM on Monday.

All issues with water billing should be addressed to the Village Hall at 708-672-5431. The Water Department is not involved in making bill adjustments, payments, or price rates.