First of two parts
A coalition representing Illinois law enforcement leadership and rank-and-file officers has issued a 15-point plan in a Safe Communities and Law Enforcement Modernization Strategy. The proposal is designed to build trust and stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge, FOP Labor Council, FOP Chicago Lodge 7, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police have formed the Illinois Law Enforcement Coalition and have been working on these strategies since summer to improve community safety and enhance the trust.
“The Coalition members all support modernization that would improve the criminal justice system for all Illinoisans and create a better trained law enforcement community,” said Illinois Association of Chiefs executive director Ed Wojcicki. “As law enforcement professionals, we want to take the leading role in modernizing policing and keeping our communities safe.”
The Coalition’s Safe Community and Police Modernization Strategy for 2021 includes the following 15 points:
• Voices of crime victims: Coalition members continue to be outspoken advocates for crime victims. Without the dedication, hard work and compassion of law enforcement professionals, most victims would never experience justice.
• Co-responder model pilot projects: Having law enforcement access to a social worker or mental health professional would be very beneficial in specific incidents. There are many parts of the state where this is not only a financial issue, but also one of finding available social workers.
• Mental health services: We support additional resources for mental health services and other resources that might provide an alternative to arrest, but these resources should not be used to reduce law enforcement funding. We also need more de-escalation and crisis intervention training for law enforcement officers to better handle these situations.
• Funding for community resources: Provide adequate state funding for local agencies such as, but not limited to, local mental health and substance abuse providers, social workers, and county and municipal jails.
• Recognize Illinois’ leadership in reforms: Here is a partial list of the training already required for Illinois officers on a regular basis: Use of force; civil rights; legal updates; cultural competency; procedural justice (voice, fairness, transparency, impartiality); human rights; sexual assault trauma-informed response.
• Training and funding for training: Provide adequate state funding for all training requirements, including the academies, and for the additional costs incurred by agencies when other officers are taking the training.
• Body cameras: We continue to support the use of body cameras, and we have recommended several major changes in state law that would eliminate burdensome impediments and costs that now cause many departments not to use them.
• Get rid of bad cops: Strengthen Illinois policies and procedures regarding the dismissal and decertification of sworn officers, with appropriate due process. Expand the list of offenses that lead to automatic decertification and prohibit truly bad cops either in Illinois or from other states from job hopping from one department to the next.
• Use of force reporting: The FBI has developed a national database for all local agencies to report use of force for officer-involved shootings, and we support mandating participation by all agencies in this database.
• Reporting misconduct: We support developing use of force reporting forms to include when an officer actively points a weapon, actively points a taser, or goes hands on beyond normal handcuffing.
• Collective bargaining: We support an expedited collective bargaining arbitration process. This would alleviate the issues that allow cases to drag on for a long time. Due process must be provided to law enforcement officers as it is to anyone.
• Use of force standardized policy: A national consensus policy on the use of force from the International Association of Chiefs of Police has been used by many organizations and would provide a sound starting point in Illinois.
—Illinois Law Enforcement Coalition
Continued at thevoice.us/15-point-plan-six-concerns