Is the SRO Program - a chance for Peoria Police to become a positive force in our schools and subsequently our Community?

In essence Carl Cannon and his Elite Team can be considered School Resource Officers...

After learning more about the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, I must admit that I agree with the move to make this change. I view it as a chance for Peoria Police to become a positive force in our community. This program can be effective, in that it will make sure that the children with problems and/or acting out will receive the interventions they need, thereby making a healthier school and community.

We have tried for generations to push those we deem undesirable aside. Now that our chickens have come home to roost, we see that out of sight out of mind does not work. The way we have been dealing with minors with problems has hurt our community greatly. It's time to start dealing with our issues and stop pushing them aside. In my opinion, this program is a step in the right direction.

The description of a School Resource Officer (SRO), from a Chapel Hill, North Carolina school: The purpose of the School Resource Officer (SRO) is to be a peace officer by maintaining order at the assigned school campus with the legal authority to arrest if required. The SRO is a resource teacher in the areas of law enforcement education that can be applied in the classroom. The SRO can also be a counselor, by listening and assisting students with various problems. This approach enables the SRO to be a positive law enforcement role model and use proactive prevention by exposing human qualities of law enforcement to our youth and give them a trustworthy adult upon whom to depend.

The SRO shall be responsible for diverting minor law enforcement infractions through school disciplinary avenues and parent counseling as opposed to sending the juvenile into the criminal court system. However, if the SRO feels that the criminal offense is serious enough to warrant action through the criminal court system, he or she will investigate and file charges against the student with local law enforcement if the charges are substantiated and filing charges is consistent with local law enforcement procedures. The SRO should follow the proper procedures to see that charges are filed and supply court personnel with complete documentation of the crime, victims, suspects, reports and other required information.

The SRO shall carry out arrest, search and seizure procedures for juveniles under the age of 16 in accordance with state and federal law. When an SRO takes a juvenile over the age of 16 into custody, he/she shall follow the same course of action as set forth for the arrest of adults.

The SRO investigates criminal activity committed on school property or involving students assigned to the officer’s school. SROs shall not be utilized as school disciplinarians. However, they may assist school administrators with these duties as requested. The assistance may include searching and seizing students with reasonable suspicion only when requested by school officials, unless search and seizure is otherwise authorized by law.

An SRO is expected to handle all situations professionally and ethically. Student information may be obtained from a variety of sources and the SRO is expected to use sound professional judgment in determining what information they should share or act upon.

The local police departments require an SRO to wear a full police department uniform including all required equipment. On some occasions, with approval of their police department supervisor, it may be appropriate to wear plain clothes attire. The SRO shall have in his/her possession, at all times, department issued identification and badge, a fully loaded firearm, handheld radio, pager, handcuffs and all necessary keys to the officer’s assigned school. The required equipment may include a taser.

When performing security functions at school events and, as circumstances dictate, the officers shall wear appropriate uniform or plain clothes attire.

It is a goal of our School Resource Officers to make sure that the students feel protected and also that students learn there are consequences for their actions. We truly want the students and the community to feel secure in their schools.

If we care enough to complain, we owe it to ourselves and our community to do some research:

Click here to see complete SRO guidelines.
The Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Public Schools: The Legal Issues

Low key mediation, yields results

For the past 18 months, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (“DOJ”) has been meeting with Police Chief Settingsgaard, NAACP President Donald Jackson, unnamed community representatives and city officials. The group has under gone DOJ mediation, which was originally borne out of NAACP complaints alleging police brutality and racial profiling.

The result of the mediation, was the recent approval given by the NAACP to the Peoria Police to do racial profiling in "hot spots" and the rebirth of the Police-Community Relations Commission.

The Commission’s newly appointed members are:
Steve Settingsgaard, Peoria Police Chief
Don Jackson, NAACP
Savino Sierra, first district
Sharon Draper, second district
Douglas Lindstrom, third district
Erica Baird, fourth district
Howard Williamson, fifth district
Larry Ivory, at-large representative
Agbara James Bryson, at-large representative
Whitney Lawson, under-25 age group representative
George Azouri, under-25 age group representative
Scott Moore, City Manager
Eric Turner, at-large council member
Sgt. Greg Collins, District 150 representative
Bill Ordaz

In January of this year, the City of Peoria donated property located at 101 N. MacArthur Highway, to the NAACP, Peoria Branch, which has helped the NAACP establish a much needed presence in the community. Prior to that, NAACP work was handled out of NAACP, President, Donald Jackson's law office, which is located at 456 Fulton Street.

Beginning in January, 2011, the DOJ will conduct workshops on racial profiling and cultural competency, specifically designed for the Peoria Police. The workshops will be led by the Civil Rights Division, which is the same division that mediated the talks that led to re-establishing the Police-Community Relations Commission.

Is Officer Greg Collins the new 150 Head of Security?

Sgt. Greg Collins, a Peoria police officer for a little over 30 years is believed to be the new head of Security at District 150.

Officer Collins is highly regarded in the black community and is considered a friend to many. He will be easily recognized and respected by many of the students who attend District 150.

For those who had complaints that the District would hire a candidate who was not qualified. What say you now? LOL

Great choice District 150, it appears this selection was made with the children in mind.

Thanks to Officer Collins for stepping up, he will make a difference.

Police Brutality Press Conference

Hat tip to Stella for the photos:

Today’s press conference held by Pastor Harvey Burnett on the steps of City Hall was in full attendance by local television and radio stations. There were also several individuals who appeared along side Pastor Burnett who spoke specifically to the police brutality they each allegedly faced at the hands of Peoria Police.

Pastor Burnett:

"… The Chief [Settingsgaard] took that information and never corresponded back with us at all. We checked with some of the individuals in the street who knew these Officers and they said that one of these Officers had been moved but the other Officer was continuing to do what they did but he was doing it on a little different scale. I would suspect that the Chief did talk to them, but I can’t prove anything. All I know is that the information that we receive seems like it evaporates and people are yet over the same period of time continue to experience problems at the hands of the Police.”

Go to EmergingPeoria to read Pastor Burnett's speech in entirety.

Police arrested in connection with beating a citizen

Driving home one night in my sporty mommy mobile, the little one strapped in the back, happy and singing (as usual); we are behind a truck that is going slow. The person driving the truck puts on the blinker and turns left into a driveway, then I see the police car sitting in the street. I proceed to drive slowly, pulling to the right to go around the police car. Out of no where, a policeman approaches my vehicle - arms spread wide, chest in the air, walking hard. I stop and roll down my window:

Me: Oh, I'm sorry officer is the street closed....

Officer: What the hell are you doing (shouting) caint you see the damn street is closed?

Me: Officer, had I known the street was closed, I would not have proceeded, I am not sure why you are getting loud with me, but could you please keep it down, I have my child in the car.

Officer: (not as loudly) The street’s closed, turn it around.

I roll my window up feeling crunchy. There's a whole different vibe in the car and of course, the singing has stopped. I turn around to go in the opposite direction, feeling highly pissed, with no outlet. As I head back in the other direction, I notice there are at least five other cars behind me, so clearly the officer had not properly closed off the street. Why was it necessary for him to come at me like that right off the bat? Didn't the mommy mobile and the child in the back indicate that I more than likely was not a threat?

This is just my latest story about how delightful the Peoria police can be and it's mild compared to stories that other people I know and love could tell. From where I sit, it's not a much of a reach for me to believe that a Peoria police officer beat a black man.

AND let me go on the record right here and debunk the myth that it does not matter how nice you say "Yes sir", or "No sir", or “Mr. Officer”. Unfortunately, all that matters is the disposition of the officer at that given time.

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Today there is a report in the PJStar about Peoria Police Officers being fired for allegedly beating a black man. Commenters on blogs are going on and on - "Kevin Lyons is trying to get back at the police"; or "that perp was attacking the officers"; or “he should not have run”. People did you not see this headline:

POLICE OFFICERS ARRESTED IN

CONNECTION WITH BEATING A MAN...

They were ARRESTED, both of them and booked on identical charges of four counts of official misconduct, aggravated battery, battery and mob action.

There was an investigation conducted before these charges were brought and before they were ARRESTED. Obviously there is some truth to Bryce Scott's (the beat up black man) story. Not to mention the video, that clearly shows police officers stumping the *hit out of something/someone.

I know the officers are innocent until proven guilty, but… (okay, I am going to stop that thought right there, because that will take me off on a tangent about how black folks are seldom ever called to serve on a jury in Peoria).

Sure there are a lot of great police officers in Peoria and God bless them, they have a difficult job. However, my prayer is and always has been, that if I, or any of the people I know and love, should happen to deal with a police officer, Lord please let it be one of those good ones we keep hearing about.