Silvis Police Department

06/23/2026

PRESS RELEASE
June 22, 2026
Quad Cities Law Enforcement Agencies Remind Residents About Fireworks Laws and Independence Day Safety.

The law enforcement agencies of the Illinois Quad Cities are reminding residents to celebrate Independence Day safely and responsibly. While fireworks are often associated with holiday celebrations, the use of illegal fireworks continues to cause serious injuries, property damage, and fires each year. Fireworks can also create significant disturbances for neighbors, frighten pets, and negatively affect military veterans and others who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Residents are reminded that Illinois law generally prohibits the possession and use of consumer fireworks. Under the Illinois Pyrotechnic Use Act (425 ILCS 35), consumer fireworks may only be used as part of an approved public display conducted under permits issued through the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Examples of fireworks that are prohibited for personal use in Illinois include: Firecrackers, Bottle rockets, Roman candles, Cherry bombs, M-80s and similar explosive devices.

Illinois law does permit certain “novelty” items, including sparklers, smoke devices, party poppers, snakes, and other novelty effects that meet statutory requirements.

In addition to state law, many Illinois municipalities have local ordinances that further restrict or prohibit the possession, sale, and use of fireworks. Violations of local ordinances may result in fines or other enforcement action such as confiscation of illegal fireworks.
We want everyone to enjoy a safe and memorable Independence Day holiday. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a professionally conducted public display including in: Coal Valley on 6/27, Moline on 7/2, East Moline on 7/3, Red, White and Boom in Rock Island on 7/3 and Bettendorf on 7/4.

Residents are encouraged to report emergencies by calling 911. Non-emergency fireworks complaints should be directed to the appropriate local law enforcement agency's non-emergency number.

The Illinois Quad Cities law enforcement agencies wish everyone a safe, enjoyable, and responsible Independence Day

06/19/2026

Community Reminder 🚔

As the weather gets warmer and more people are spending time outdoors, we want to remind our residents to take a few simple steps to protect their homes and vehicles.

🔒 Lock your vehicle doors — even if it’s parked in your driveway or garage.
🚗 Never leave keys, wallets, money, fi****ms, or other valuables inside your vehicle. Especially not in plain sight.
🏠 Keep garage doors closed and secure overnight and when you are away.
🚪 Make sure all doors and windows to your residence are locked before going to bed or leaving your home.
💡 Turn on exterior lighting or motion lights to help deter criminal activity. It also helps our Officers see when patrolling the area.

Unfortunately, warmer weather often brings an increase in crimes of opportunity, including vehicle burglaries and thefts. Many of these incidents occur simply because a vehicle or garage was left unlocked.

Please take a few seconds each night to lock it, close it, secure it. A small habit can prevent a big loss.

If you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood, call 9-1-1 for emergencies or report non-emergency concerns to the Silvis Police Department.

Stay safe, Silvis! 💙

06/17/2026

06/15/2026

Join Us at Walmart Today Until 1:00 PM!

The Silvis Police Department and Silvis Fire Department are at Walmart celebrating Public Safety Week, and we’d love to see you!
Stop by and:

Meet adorable puppies from the local animal shelter and the Quad City Animal Welfare Center�
Enjoy FREE hot dogs and cookies�
Meet your Silvis police officers�
Visit with our firefighters�
Learn more about the services and programs available in our community

Bring the family and join us for a fun, family-friendly event. We’ll be here today until 1:00 PM, so stop by and say hello!

Thank you Walmart for sponsoring this event!

06/03/2026

Congratulations to Sergeant Jose Vargas on his appointment as Deputy Chief of Police for the City of Silvis Police Department!

Deputy Chief Vargas has demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism, and dedication throughout his career in law enforcement. His commitment to serving our community, supporting his fellow officers, and advancing the mission of the Silvis Police Department has earned him this well-deserved promotion.

We are confident that Deputy Chief Vargas will continue to be an outstanding leader as he takes on this new role and helps guide the department into the future.

Please join us in congratulating Deputy Chief Jose Vargas on this significant achievement and wishing him continued success in his new position!

05/27/2026

Last week, your Illinois Quad City Law Enforcement leaders met with the Rock Island County NAACP at the The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Rock Island to reaffirm our commitment to trust, accountability, transparency, dignity, and partnership between law enforcement and the communities we are sworn to serve.

The Ten Shared Principles embodies the mutual commitment, responsibility and respect we all share.

In the words of the NAACP - Rock Island County, Illinois Branch President Bonnie Ballard, “When communities trust law enforcement, cooperation grows. When law enforcement understands and respects the communities they serve, safety grows. And when both stand together with shared purpose, hope grows.”

Pictured from left to right are Village of Milan Police Department Chief Derek Radosevich, Rock Island County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Darren Hart, City of East Moline Police Department Chief Jeff Ramsey, NAACP – Rock Island County, Illinois Branch President Bonnie Ballard, Rock Island Police Department Chief Tim McCloud, Moline Police Department Chief Darren Gault, Illinois State Police Troop 2 Captain Jason Dickey, and Silvis Police Department Chief Gene Karzin.

The Ten Shared Principles are as follows:
1. We value the life of every person and consider life to be the highest value.
2. All persons should be treated with dignity and respect. This is another foundational value.
3. We reject discrimination toward any person that is based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, nationality, immigrant status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or familial status.
4. We endorse the six pillars in the report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The first pillar is to build and rebuild trust through procedural justice, transparency, accountability, and honest recognition of past and present obstacles.
5. We endorse the four pillars of procedural justice, which are fairness, voice (i.e. an opportunity for citizens and police to believe they are heard), transparency, and impartiality.
6. We endorse the values inherent in community policing, which includes community partnerships involving law enforcement, engagement of police officers with residents outside of interaction specific to enforcement of laws, and problem-solving that is collaborative, not one-sided.
7. We believe that developing strong ongoing relationships between law enforcement and communities of color at the leadership level and street level will be the keys to diminishing and eliminating racial tension.
8. We believe that law enforcement and community leaders have a mutual responsibility to encourage all citizens to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the law to assist them in their interactions with law enforcement officers.
9. We support diversity in police departments and in the law enforcement profession. Law enforcement and communities have a mutual responsibility and should work together to make a concerted effort to recruit diverse police departments.
10. We believe de-escalation training should be required to ensure the safety of community members and officers. We endorse using de-escalation tactics to reduce the potential for confrontations that endanger law enforcement officers and community members; and the principle that human life should be taken only as a last resort.

05/23/2026

Our Officers had an amazing time supporting the Color fun run/walk this morning! Nothing better than building connections, making memories, and getting absolutely covered in color with these awesome kids.💙 What a fun event hosted by the Silvis School District!

05/22/2026

𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙂𝙀𝙏 ... 𝙂𝙊𝙇𝙁 𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙏 𝙍𝙀𝙂𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙏𝙊𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙍𝙊𝙒
NOON to 3pm at City Hall
ONLY CASH ACCEPTED FOR REGISTRATION FEE

Spring is here and the weather is warming up, time for a golf cart registration event!
All golf carts operated on Silvis streets must be inspected and permitted each year. The Silvis Police Department will be at City Hall (121 11th Street) on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 12:00–3:00 PM.
Bring your golf cart to City Hall for inspection (requirements listed below), and be sure to follow all applicable rules and regulations when you arrive.
Also, stop by the Fire Department, Fire Chief Johnson will be hosting a “Touch-a-Truck” event! We’ll be there along with other city departments, showing off vehicles and connecting with the community.

Horn;
Brakes;
A steering apparatus;
Tires;
A rearview mirror;
Red reflectorized warning devices in the front and rear;
A slow-moving emblem (as required of other vehicles in 625 ILCS 5/12-709) on the rear of the golf cart;
A headlight that emits a white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front;
A tail lamp that emits a red light visible from at least 100 feet from the rear;
Brake lights; and
Turn signals.

05/14/2026

TOMORROW is Cop on a Rooftop!

2026 marks the 23rd Anniversary of Dunkin’s partnership with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois. Over the years, this incredible partnership has raised more than $11.1 million across Illinois to support Special Olympics athletes and programs!

Join the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office and the Silvis Police Department tomorrow, Friday, May 15th, from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Silvis Dunkin’ as we rally together to support the amazing athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.

This event has become a fun and meaningful tradition, and we’d love to see continued community support to help it grow even bigger.

Stop out, grab a coffee, make a donation, and help support a great cause!

05/12/2026

This week, the Silvis Police Department joins law enforcement agencies across the nation in recognizing National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, National Police Week honors the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty while protecting their communities. May 15 is officially recognized as Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day dedicated to remembering fallen officers and supporting the families, friends, and fellow officers they left behind.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. now bears the names of more than 23,000 officers who died in the line of duty throughout our nation’s history. Each year, new names are added as their sacrifice is forever remembered.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 111 officers nationwide died in the line of duty in 2025. While that number reflects a decrease from prior years, even one loss is too many.

This week, we pause to honor those heroes who never came home, to recognize the sacrifices made daily by current officers and their families, and to thank the communities who continue to support law enforcement.