Notes from the FVC4PNJ meeting of Saurday, July 4th 2020
Those present were: Kathy Hamill. Bill Koehl, Paul Scott, Mary Roberti, Vince Hardt, Sherry Liske, Barbara Evans, Bettina Perillo, Steve Bruesewitz, Earl Silbar, Karen Beyer, Ro Maziarz, Don Bak, Mary Shesgreen.
Once again, most of our meeting focused on conversation about the first discussion question on our agenda: Are the protests for police accountability and racial justice working? What else needs to happen? Paul talked about his work in DuPage County with the NAACP and Unity Partnership and their hopes to move toward better racial justice especially in the area of policing. He talked about moving to change the wording of police procedures and policies as California has done: Use of lethal force is only permitted when it is “necessary.” Earl stated that the wording of Elgin’s police standards was excellent, but good wording did nothing to protect DeCynthia Clements, and did nothing to bring Lieutenant Jensen to account. Paul also talked about citizen oversight boards for police departments. Earl said those only made a difference when they had the power to subpoena police officers, interrogate them under oath, and then have disciplinary power to fire or even change officers.