Resolution focuses on shared principles

Members of 11 law enforcement agencies in Kankakee County signed a shared principles declaration alongside NAACP representatives on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Kankakee Community College.

Kankakee County is the second county in Illinois to have all police departments adopt these principles, according to Ed Wojcicki, Executive Director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

Speakers at the event included KCC President Dr. Michael Boyd, Kankakee County NAACP Branch President Theodis Pace, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Ed Wojcicki, Manteno Police Chief Alan Swinford, and Bradley Police Deputy Chief Craig Anderson.

In part, the declaration says police agencies and the NAACP have “a mutual passion for defending and protecting the civil rights of all citizens and in keeping our communities and citizens safe.”
The resolution includes 10 principles regarding the relationship between law enforcement and the communities and people they serve.

Above the signatures, the resolution concluded with:

“We vow by mutual affirmation to work together and stand together in our communities and at the state level to implement these values and principles, and to replace mistrust with mutual trust wherever, whenever, and however we can, and

“Therefore, be it further resolved, that we work collaboratively to publicize widely the adoption of this resolution throughout the state of Illinois.”
The signers were: Don Barber, Bradley police chief; Brian Brucato, Momence police chief; Rich Soderquist KCC police chief; Michael Downey, Kankakee County sheriff; Carl Frey, Grant Park police chief; Theodis Pace, president of the NAACP Kankakee County Branch; Frank J. Kosman, Kankakee police chief; Todd Navratil, Aroma Park police chief; Jim Phelps, Bourbonnais police chief; Chad Scanlon Herscher police chief; David Skelly, St. Anne police chief; and Swinford.

A number of students from KCC’s criminal justice program also attended the event.