[CPRB] Today's DI

[Ricky Baldwin]

Hey folks-

Anybody want to write a letter thanking the DI for
their enlightened opinion (dfn: agreeing with us)?  Or
calling them on the whining thing?  Here's our chance!

Ricky

Daily Illini p.7
EDITORIAL: Board could restore faith in Urbana cops
Citizens police review board would investigate
complaints against cops, increase accountability
Posted: 8/2/06

Given the state of affairs in the Urbana police
department, the proposed citizens review board could
only strengthen both the force and citizens'
confidence in their law enforcement officers.

Creating a review board, discussed at last Monday's
public hearing, would work to prevent situations like
the alleged rape of Amber Grohall by uniformed police
officer Kurt Hjort last year. Hjort had a history of
at least three previous incidents of sexual misconduct
while on the job, a red flag that a review board would
be likely to catch.

The main responsibility of the board would be to
investigate the validity of complaints against police
officers. But a secondary result would be an increase
in the accountability of the police force to the
community they serve - a goal that the department
seems to have forgotten.

Though some of the comments heard at last week's
hearing may have sounded like whining, many included
legitimate concerns. These concerns were not just over
a single incident of individual misconduct but the
police force as a whole. For instance, both Urbana and
Champaign face accusations of discrimination against
their traffic stop practices. A review board would a
proactive step in resolving such accusations and the
general mistrust of law enforcement authorities that
many citizens seem to possess.

The fact that the police force is showing resistance
to the proposal is troubling. As public servants,
police sworn to uphold the law should have nothing to
hide from the people of Urbana.

One argument against the board, that officers already
have a difficult job with a large amount of paperwork,
holds little water. As a non-binding entity, the
review board is unlikely to create additional red tape
for cops. The additional inconveniences that
individual officers might face because of a review
board should seem like small sacrifices to maintain
the reputation of Urbana police as protectors and
servants.

Police officers do have a difficult job, and they
should be respected for their work. But a review board
is not meant to make a good cop's job harder; it is
meant to eliminate the bad cops. More than anything,
it is meant to forge the one tool essential to making
the system of law enforcement work well: trust between
officers and the citizens they are sworn to serve. 

© Copyright 2006 The Daily Illini

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