‘Richly diverse’ group named to civilian police board

Posted on October 17, 2017

 

A standing room only crowd, that spilled over into the hallways and stairwells of city hall in July came to see aldermen vote to create a civilian police advisory board. The names of seven nominees to serve on the panel, were released Tuesday. (Photo by WJBC’s Howard Packowitz)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – One of this year’s most contentious issues in Bloomington has come down to the appointment of seven people to serve on a civilian board to review how police investigate citizens’ complaints against officers.

The seven people picked by Mayor Tari Renner to serve on the Public Safety and Community Relations Board are “richly diverse,” according to the city council’s senior member, Karen Schmidt.

Aldermen had a say in narrowing the list of 66 applicants, and they’ll take a final vote next Monday night.

The nominees are Jan Lancaster who owns The Bistro in Downtown Bloomington, Pastor William Bennett of the City of Refuge Ministries, Robert Bosquez of the West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Sally Rudolph of the McLean County League of Women Voters, Jeffery Woodard who is marketing director of the McLean County Museum of History, Arthur Taylor who led diversity initiatives at State Farm Insurance, and Surena Fish from the group Miller Park Neighbors.

Renner agreed to narrow the board’s scope to build a consensus among aldermen. The board can only check if the department followed proper protocols, and can not re-investigate citizens’ complaints. Board members cannot be convicted felons, and the board’s emphasis must be on community outreach and education. Only Alderman Diana Hauman voted against creating the civilian board.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…