Oak Park residents and business owners can get a free security walkthrough from the Oak Park Police Department, the department said in an Oct. 8 post on X.

Officers evaluate door locks, windows, entrances and garage doors, then provide specific recommendations to reduce the risk of burglary. The service is open to both homeowners and commercial property owners.

The stakes are real. In a July 23 post, the department said home and garage burglaries rank among the most common crimes in Oak Park. In more than a third of those burglaries, offenders use no force at all. They walk through an unlocked door or crawl through an unlocked window.

The inspection program is part of the department's Community Policing Division, led by three Residential Beat Officers: Christine Simkus, Raphael Murphy and Eric Locke. The division, described in the Village of Oak Park's OP/FYI newsletter, also runs a vacation watch program and an emergency ID bracelet program.

To schedule an inspection, email [email protected] or call (708) 386-3800.