Lake County Gazette

Lake Forest Police Commander Ben Grum is running for a seat on the Lake County Board, citing serious concerns about safety, security and economic stability in Lake County.

Grum, a seasoned law enforcement officer with a 20-year career, emphasized the economic challenges facing Lake County and southern Wisconsin, expressing worry about the increasing number of businesses relocating from Lake County to Wisconsin.

He raised concerns about the potential impact on the county's revenue, leading to budget constraints and potential tax increases.

“Just seeing the large quantity of businesses, many of which were in Lake County at one point in time, are moving up there,” he told Lake County Gazette.

“It concerns me because that's a huge revenue source for the county. And losing that type of revenue from businesses that they've got to either shrink budgets or they've got to find the money elsewhere. A lot of times where they find that money is obviously to property tax and sales tax and other things and that concerns me.”

Addressing public safety concerns, Grum highlighted the rising incidents of crime.

“Definitely we are seeing an increase in the amount of stolen autos,” Grum said.

“We're seeing an increase in the amount of burglaries to autos. We're seeing an increase in the amount of burglaries and when it comes to the respect thing the amount of people who are just flat out refusing to stop when we attempt to pull them over, has drastically increased, more so than I would have ever imagined. Starting in this line of work 20 years ago it is fairly regular that our officers attempt to stop somebody and the person just flat out keeps going.”

He underscored the need for a balanced approach, acknowledging the challenges of enforcing policies that require proof of a violent crime before pursuing a suspect who refuses to stop.

Grum noted “the broken window theory,” suggesting that overlooking petty crimes might contribute to a culture of lawlessness. He argued that encouraging accountability for minor offenses could potentially deter individuals from engaging in more serious criminal activities.

Notably, Grum was in the Lake Forest patrol unit that stopped mass shooter Robert Crimo III who killed seven and injured 48 others in a shooting at a Highland Park Fourth of July Parade in 2022.

“When you're put in that situation, you're kind of in your head or preparing for the worst,” he said.

On the topic of illegal immigration, Grum expressed support but called for a responsible and financially prudent approach, emphasizing the need for proper vetting and assimilation processes for newcomers.

“It would be foolish for us to be spending tons of taxpayer dollars and housing them and bringing them here,” Grum said.

“Don't blame Governor Abbott one second for sending them. He's in a bad situation and for him nobody's listening and so this is his way of getting people to listen is to try and get these communities to answer the call that they say they wanted. But I do think that we've got to be financially responsible and we've got to do what's right for our current population and constituents when it comes to that issue.”

Regarding potential challenges tied to immigration, Grum mentioned ongoing efforts in Lake Forest to create a plan to address issues if they arise.

He noted the current practice of individuals arriving on buses eventually boarding trains to downtown Chicago, where services are available to support them.

Grum is challenging Board Chair Sandy Hart in the 13th District.

Grum, a father of two, has lived in Knollwood, North Chicago, and Lake Bluff throughout his entire life.

He has served on the Montessori School of Lake Forest's school board and on the Lake Bluff Youth Baseball Board. He is presently an active member of the board of directors for both the Lake Forest Police Officer Pension and the Lake County Juvenile Officers Association.

Grum’s educational background includes an Associate's Degree in Fire Science Management from the College of Lake County, a Bachelor's Degree in Business from North Park University and an MBA with a minor in Human Resources.