In your May 29 article on landscape thievery in Naperville, Naperville police spokesman Sgt. David Hoffman was quoted as saying, “Aurora gets gang shootings, we get collectible plant thieves.”
It is disappointing when someone who is sworn to “serve and protect” would generalize about the seriousness of crime, which only serves to perpetuate ill-conceived stereotypes.
Ironically, soon after Sgt. Hoffman’s quote appeared, the MetroDuPage section included articles regarding the tragic 1995 Naperville slaying of Nicole Kornely, armed robberies of Naperville residents on Testa Drive and a more recent article about teenage drug abuse by Naperville students.
As a 24-year resident of Aurora who pays real estate taxes benefiting school district 204 and who pays sales tax on both sides of Illinois Highway 59, I find it offensive that Sgt. Hoffman would not show Aurora Police Chief Larry L. Langston and other Aurora police officers the respect they deserve, especially in light of the risks they encounter daily.
I hope an apology to the city of Aurora is forthcoming and that Aurora’s elected officials can work with the city of Naperville to unite in the prevention of crime rather than mock the tragedies of crime.
