Recently the Chicago Tribune ran a police blotter item about a young man in Buffalo Grove who was given a warning by police for swimming naked in his backyard pool. He had been skinny dipping with two female friends at about 5:40 a.m. when a neighbor, who had a clear view of the pool, called the police. According to the Trib account: "Police responded to the swimming pool ... and spoke to the man about public indecency laws."
A GazeboNews reader wanted to know how such a scenario would play out in our community. To put it another way: Can you go outdoors in the buff in Lake Forest or Lake Bluff? We contacted police in both 'burbs and found that the answer depends on how private your property is.
GazeboNews: Can residents of Lake Forest or Lake Bluff skinny dip, sunbathe nude or just be naked in their backyards?
Lake Forest Deputy Chief Glenn Burmeister: Chapter 47, Section 4.2, a local ordinance on Public Indecency, defines a public place for purposes of this section as any place where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others.
Lake Bluff Police Chief William Gallagher: The Village of Lake Bluff doesn't have a specific ordinance regarding appropriate attire while swimming in your own backyard; however it would fall under 7-2-4 of the Village Code, which is Disorderly Conduct. The offended person would have to sign the complaint.
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