Riverside Police And NAACP Agree On List of Principles

La Grange IL

28 January, 2021

9:22 AM

Description

RIVERSIDE, IL — The Riverside Police Department has joined the NAACP and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police in signing the Ten Shared Principles, according to a Riverside police news release last week. "The historic set of principles defines the behavior that all Illinoisans should expect when there is an encounter with police. By signing this, the Riverside Police Department is telling everyone we value life," Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in the release. "By signing the document, I am telling Riverside that your police officers will live by these principles of trust, positive relationships and treating all people with dignity and respect." The Ten Shared Principles are about, among other things, valuing the life of every person, treating all people with dignity and respect, rejecting discrimination, building and rebuilding trust, upholding fairness and transparency, and building strong relationships with communities of color. In another news release, Weitzel said the Riverside Police Department is in full compliance with a new federal directive on the use of force. According to the U.S. Department of Justice website, President Donald Trump issued an executive order in late October requiring law enforcement agencies to have their use of force policies certified in 90 days. Among other things, the policies must prohibit chokeholds, except in cases where deadly force is allowed by law. "I submitted for review all policies, compliance orders, proofs, training documents and written directives," Weitzel said. "We have been certified in full compliance with the Presidential Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities." On Dec. 10, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police notified the Riverside Police Department that its use of force policies were certified. In August, the Riverside police held a public forum following the summer's demonstrations in response to the deaths of George Floyd and others. "As you may recall, I pledged to the president, board, manager, and our residents that I would follow through with my commitments that I stated at that public meeting. This is to follow up on that so that the community knows we are in full compliance with mandatory issues and with the self-initiated issues that we have taken on," Weitzel said in an email to Patch. "It's important for me, as the chief, to let our residents know that what I say is followed through and not just rhetoric." Obviously, he said, much more work needs to be done. "I'm extremely proud of my command staff, especially Deputy Chief Gutschick, who has assisted me every step of the way on these initiatives along with Lieutenant Frank Lara," the chief said. Every single police officer and employee has signed a document upholding the Ten Shared Principles, Weitzel said. "I've also purchased large framed wall posters for our police station of the Ten Shared Principles to put in roll call rooms, hallways, and locker rooms to remind police department members what we stand for," the chief said in the mail. Many departments in the state have signed the Ten Shared Principles.