[Peace] Urbana police review, City Council tonite at 7pm

[Ricky Baldwin]

Just a quick reminder.

Those who are interested in issues of police-community
relations, the Urbana City Council will discuss the
revised ordinance establishing a civilian police
review board tonite at 7pm, 400 S Vine.

All are welcome to observe, or speak for up to 5 min.

This ordinance is the result of six years of work by
the Coalition for Citizen Police Review, following a
series of questionable deaths and serious injuries in
police custody in both Urbana and Champaign around
2000.  

The idea of such review became an election issue in
the most recent city elections in Urbana, then the
subject of a lengthy discussion by a Mayors task force
last year, including reps from the NAACP, Urban
League, ACLU, the Coalition itself, the local
religious community, police union (FOP) and the
current chief Mike Bily.  And, after negotiations, the
FOP has now signed off on it (with a few unfortunate
restrictions).

The Champaign City Council, which has turned down all
previous attempts by the NAACP, Urbana League and
other Coalition members, is about to consider the idea
again at the end of this month.  A Champaign committee
that has been studying various police-community
relations issues has recommended a review board, not
to mention recent shootings involving police and the
last couple years of suspicious deaths and injuries,
maybe even rape, which presumably have some effect on
public opinion.  

Events in Urbana tonite could effect both cities.

Even the News-Gazette, notorously critical of civilian
review of law enforcement, seems to be coming around
(gradually), judging by its weekend editorial -- which
still misrepresented the facts, but less harshly than
in the past.  Given the paper's criticism of Champaign
police secretiveness, ... well, who knows?

Tonite's meeting will be the "Committee of the Whole,"
not officially the Council, so the final vote would
probably be next Monday.  There are also several other
events on the agenda, so we probably ought to keep our
comments as short and specific as we can.  The revised
ordinance is on the City's website under Council
agendas.  A little positive notice for the changes
since last meeting would go a long way, besides any
other comments.

See you there!
Ricky




       
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