Aurora officials believe civilian review board is a major step
In late June, Mayor Richard Irvin promised Aurorans the city was going to improve relations between them and the police.
Six months later, Irvin and other city officials are proud a civilian review board has been created; that police plan to wear body cameras; and that it is now easier for people to see data about complaints against police officers.
But critics say the review board will be useless as it is toothless. The purchase of cameras is behind schedule, and complaint information is limited.
All are part of the CHANGE Reform initiative. CHANGE stands for Community Helping Aurora's Necessary Growth and Empowerment.
It came after Aurora residents, disgusted by the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, protested here, saying there was police brutality in their city, too.
At the time, Irvin said Aurora would join a national initiative to review its use-of-force policies. It would also study buying body-worn cameras, review its training policies and examine having civilians review complaints about police officers.
"In six months we've done some major progress. Is it perfect? No," said the city's communications director, Clayton Muhammad.
Body cameras
The city was supposed to start testing two different body cameras in November. But the equipment arrived several weeks later than expected. Twenty officers are expected to finish the testing by Tuesday.
Complaints
The city created a data portal in July, with information on more than 480 complaints going back three years. It contains information about when a complaint was filed; what type; the employee's position, sex and race; a civilian complainant's race and sex; the outcome of the investigation; and if the officer was suspended.
What it does not have is the officer's name, or details about what is alleged to have happened. Those aren't being listed in an effort to protect the privacy of the complainants and the officers, police spokesman Paris Lewbel said. Lewbel said the city modeled its data portal after those in other cities. He also said more information about incidents can be obtained by filing Freedom of Information Act requests.
Milestone reached
The biggest item checked off a list of 60 suggestions from residents is the creation of the review board. The city council approved the plan Nov. 24. People can apply through Dec. 22 at www.aurora-il.org/2223/Civilian-Review-Board. Irvin plans to present a list of finalists to a council committee Jan. 19.
As of noon Thursday, nearly 80 people had applied.
It will have nine members. A department employee will be a liaison.
The board will refer complaints to the police department's Office of Professional Standards to investigate; review the findings of the investigation, and the disciplinary recommendation of the department's Employee Review Board; and then recommend discipline to the police chief. The chief can suspend officers; the city's human resources director can fire them.
It will also help recruit police officers from "underrepresented" populations, including Blacks, Latinos and women.
Alderman Judd Lofchie, who is running for mayor against Irvin, said some slots should have been reserved for representatives from the city's Hispanic Heritage and African-American advisory commissions.
Some residents have questioned why the board won't be independent of the city, and why it won't be able to discipline officers.
"We want (the board to be) independent. We don't want any police involvement on the civilian review board," resident Edward Ash told the council.
He said the panel should be created by residents, not elected officials.
"The wealth, growth, progress, the culture of policing and quality of life for the citizens of Aurora are serious matters which require the people to get involved and make change, not be given false hope and a pacifier, which is what the current proposal suggests," Ash said.
The lack of authority bothered resident Andrew Tripp. "This is not nearly enough. By giving the board no power, then you are not going to gain the trust of the community. ... This is just another way to deny the people a voice," he told the council.
Others asked why criminal defense lawyers won't be allowed on the board.
Some ex-offenders will be able to serve on the board, but not people convicted of forcible felonies, as they are prohibited from seeing information from some state and federal databases, officials said.
"I think the majority of the points raised by the public were answered, and most of the answers are, 'We legally can't do it,'" said Alderman Emanuel Llamas, who worked on the proposal. The police union contract also governs how officers can be disciplined.
Alderman Sherman Jenkins urged the public to give the review board a chance.
"Just because it doesn't go your way, don't sit back and say, 'I'm not going to get involved with it because it's a waste of my time,'" he said.