The Sterling, Illinois Police Department is seeking out criminals, by showing up on their doorsteps.
"They're called "Knock and Talks" because we knock on the door and somebody will come and we talk," said Lt. Tom Morgan. "We let them know why we're there, that we've had complaints."
Sterling Police take calls every day from residents concerned about drug activity. "Drug activity within the city is responsible for a lot of the other property and crimes against persons," said Morgan.
Now, the department is taking the initiative to put a stop to all the crime, one house at a time -- "Let the drug users and the sellers know, that we're out there and actively seeking them. They are at the top of our priority list for enforcement."
Officers talk to the people living in houses where there's suspected drug activity going on and try to get consent to perform a search.
"It's their right to say no," Morgan said. "We're not kicking in doors and just barging into homes."
If a resident won't let police inside, police look for signs of drug activity that they could use to get a search warrant. A K-9 may also help them gain entry, "The K9 gives us an extra tool to use as far as the dog's ability to alert on certain drugs."
During one "Knock and Talk" stop, police approaching the house received clear confirmation of drug activity -- marijuana growing right outside the home. It's a small amount and the resident will pay a fine. But everyone that Sterling Police pay a visit to will receive a letter --
"The resident will receive a letter explaining why we were there," Morgan said. "If it's a rental property, the landlord who owns the property will receive a letter explaining why the police were there."
The purpose of these "Knock and Talks" is not to haul people to jail, but to let drug users know that police are on to them.
"Even if we don't get anything, even if it results in nothing more than knocking on the door and speaking to the residents and letting them know we've had complaints, then it's a success," Morgan said. "Doing nothing would be a failure."
