Village of Carpentersville — Local services in Dundee Township

I’m writing as a disappointed and concerned mother of a 12-year-old boy and a longtime resident of Carpentersville, Illinois. On July 7, 2025, my son was stopped by a police officer while riding his electric scooter. He called me, clearly anxious, and asked me to come pick him up. When I spoke with the officer on the phone, he reassured me that my son had done nothing wrong, that no citation would be issued, and that he simply wanted to explain the new scooter rules in my presence.

Trusting the officer’s word, I drove to the scene. My son has used his scooter responsibly for over two years — always with a helmet, never recklessly. Police cars often pass our neighborhood and have seen him and other kids riding without issue. I arrived and listened respectfully. I even agreed that scooters can sometimes be dangerous. But then, to my shock, the officer said he would be issuing a ticket. At first, I thought it was a misunderstanding or a joke. It wasn’t. He told me the fine would be $50.

However, when I got home and reviewed the paperwork, the actual fine was $75. I was stunned. I had been misled — not just about whether a ticket would be issued, but also about the amount. The officer did not clearly state the fine in person. As a parent, I trusted his word. As a resident, I expected honesty and transparency from someone in uniform. That trust was broken.

What’s worse is how this affected my son. That night, he asked me repeatedly, “Mom, was that a real police officer?” I asked why, and he said, “Because he lied to you. He said he just wanted to talk, then gave you a ticket. How can someone in uniform lie and still be a real officer?” The next morning, he told our neighbors, “You can’t trust the police. They tricked my mom. I gave her my birthday money to help pay the fine.”

As a mother who has raised her children to respect the police, firefighters, medics, and the law — and who has always taught them the importance of honesty, trust, and doing the right thing — I now find myself at a loss. How do I explain to my son that lying is wrong, when someone in a position of authority showed him otherwise? How do I teach him to respect authority, when that authority just violated our trust?

To add to my concern, the officer (J. Travis, ID# 0177) told me I should have seen the new scooter regulations “on Facebook.” With all due respect — since when has Facebook become an official source of legal information? I don’t use Facebook. I don’t even have an account. Expecting residents — especially parents — to follow social media in order to stay informed about laws or rules that may result in citations is unacceptable. Legal regulations that affect children should be clearly communicated through official and accessible channels: city websites, printed notices, email alerts, or even schools and community programs. Facebook is not a reliable substitute.

This entire experience has been not only frustrating but profoundly discouraging. I am not contesting the citation itself. What I am questioning is how it was handled: the misleading communication, the lack of honesty, the informal approach to sharing new rules, and — most importantly — the emotional harm caused to a child who watched his mother be deceived by a police officer.

The most painful question that remains — one that still troubles both me and my son — is this: how can a child ever again trust a police officer who lied, showed no empathy, and left him believing that the police are not to be trusted?

I sincerely hope this message prompts reflection and discussion among local leadership and law enforcement. Carpentersville deserves better. Our children deserve better. Trust and honesty must be the foundation of every interaction — especially from those who are sworn to serve...

The Building department of carpentersville is AWESOMELY AWESOME They care They take the time to explain everything to make sure there is clarity. They assist you with your documents and actually give you an reason for the Why and how's. The permit process is the easiest ever. Friendly smiling faces with PLENTY of patience. Carmen Rocks with permits and Silvia is Sooooooooo compassionate she had a call for a injured goose and she went beyond the call of duty for something that is not even in her department. Greta was very helpful in pointing me in the direction of who would assist me. We all can put on a front in front of managers and supervisors BUT WHO ARE YOU WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING . THESE LADIES ARE THE BEST EVER. The village of Carpentersville is Blessed to have them. 5 stars x...

Terrible finance department. That Tanya Walker is a piece of work. Mean and nasty even for basic questions. And that Rosemary Mcmurchie needs to go. She's been there too long. Thinks she...