Illinois State Police make 27 arrests in metro-east crackdown. This brings total to 375

A series of Illinois State Police crackdowns in what the agency calls “known high crime areas” in the East St. Louis and surrounding communities continued with 27 arrests Oct. 1-3.

This three-day operation was staffed by nearly 40 Illinois State Police officers, according to an Illinois State Police news release Saturday.

The names of the persons arrested were not included in the news release.

Illinois State Police officers conducted similar 72-hour operations four times in 2023 and six times this year for a total of 375 arrests.

Here are details from the Oct. 1-3 operation:

• 27 arrests
• 41 felony charges
• 12 firearms seized
• 3 stolen vehicles recovered

In one case on Oct. 1, troopers stopped a vehicle for a code violation and they found a gun “with no identifiable features, commonly known as a ‘ghost gun,’” according to the news release. One person was arrested in connection with this stop. Other details about this arrest were not released.

“The operation utilized intelligence and technology to target known high crime areas, violent offenders, and structured criminal groups in the communities” of the metro-east, the news release stated.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly, the former state’s attorney for St. Clair County, told the BND in March that the agency was trying to focus on areas “where the data indicates police activity is needed and welcome.”

“We make our strategic and tactical decisions based upon evidence, based upon facts,” Kelly said. “Where do the statistics indicate where there’s a higher level of criminal activity and the potential for criminal activity? Does the community need us?”

The 2023 operations were conducted in June, August, October and December. This year’s operations were in March, April, May, June with two and October.