Naperville Police Offer Free Security Reviews for Houses of Worship
Naperville police are offering free security assessments to places of worship and increasing patrols around religious sites, weeks after a foiled attack on a Hindu temple in nearby Aurora. The Chicago suburb is home to a large population of Americans of Indian origin.
The department's efforts were outlined by Chief Jason Ares at a hate crimes dialogue held at Wesley United Methodist Church. The event brought together more than 50 people representing seven faith communities.
Ares described a team that will tour local worship sites to assess safety conditions. Free help may include checking existing camera coverage, recommending new camera locations, clearing overgrown shrubs and improving lighting. "We will do everything we can to help keep our community safe," he said.
He asked religious leaders to attend the department's free civilian training on responding to active shooter situations. He also stressed that anyone who notices something suspicious should contact police immediately by calling 911.
The dialogue was organized by United for Peace and the Naperville Interfaith Leaders Association. It took place after an alleged plot to attack the Sri Venkateswara Swamy (Balaji) Temple in Aurora was reported on October 11, the first day of Navratri.
Shalini Gupta of United for Peace said the alleged attacker targeted several groups, among them Jewish people, African Americans, Indian Americans and others.
Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli condemned the attempted attack on residents and community members at an Aurora Hindu temple. He said the community rejects such hateful views and called for continued dialogue between communities, not only in the aftermath of tragedies. Aurora Mayor Jon Laesch attended the event.
Resident Sally Joshi described the episode as frightening, noting that her family also visits the temple. Rabbi David Ebner of Congregation Beth Shalom said synagogues nationwide were already using similar security measures.
Prosecutors allege that Alexandros Papoarakis, a 19-year-old from Palatine who identifies as a neo-Nazi, tried to shoot a person outside the temple, but his rifle jammed. Prosecutors also say he wrote an eight-page document promoting white supremacy that called for violence against Indian-origin people at a Hindu place of worship.
He faces state charges of terrorist threats and illegal possession of a short-barreled rifle, according to Palatine police. His next court date is October 30. No federal charges have been filed, but the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division is reviewing the case.
A group of 105 members of Congress led by Raja Krishnamoorthi has asked FBI Director Kash Patel to clarify by October 29 whether the agency is investigating the case as a federal hate crime. Krishnamoorthi was inside the temple with his family during the attempted attack.