14th District Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton was joined by the Cook County Board of Commissioners in the passage of his Resolution in Support of the Illinois NAACP State Conference and the Illinois Association Of Chiefs of Police Ten Shared Principles.
In doing so, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the Forest Preserves District of Cook County, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office affirmed the County’s support and endorsement of the ideologies outlined in the Ten Shared Principles and that further police reform and training is needed to address the disparities of police conduct in communities of color.
“We must push forward both actionable and aspirational policy initiatives that continue to build on the work that the County has done to build lasting, trusting and collaborative relationships between law enforcement and the residents they are sworn to protect and serve,” said Commissioner Scott Britton. “I thank President Preckwinkle, the Sheriff’s Office, the Forest Preserves, and all of my fellow Commissioners for their support of and determination to implement these principles rooted in equal justice.”
The Ten Shared Principles are a guide for departments to pledge their belief that all human life deserves equal dignity and respect. The Principles declare that fairness, transparency, impartiality, mutual responsibility, and community partnerships are the keys to diminishing and eliminating racial tension. “We all aspire to seeing everyone treated with dignity and respect and to doing everything we can to bring about safer communities. The more we work together, the more we open doors to building trust and achieving our aspirations,” said James R. Black, President, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and chief of police in Crystal Lake.
Com. Scott Britton“I very pleased that the Cook Board has taken police reform seriously enough to join with over 230 law Enforcement agencies in Illinois that have adopted the Principles which were designed to build trust between the Black communities and the police," said Teresa Haley, President Illinois NAACP. “I want to thank Commissioner Britton for working with the Forest Preserves to support and endorse the Ten Shared Principles. Our ongoing commitment to racial equity and diversity across the Forest Preserves requires both vision and action,” said General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County Arnold Randall.
“I wholeheartedly agree with these principles, which should be foundational for every law enforcement agency,” Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart said. “As I have since taking office, I will continue to cultivate and instill these essential values in every area of the Sheriff’s Office as we continue to build relationships of trust, fairness and transparent accountability with the communities we serve.” Since it was released in 2018, more than 230 police departments and law organizations have adopted the Ten Shared Principles.
For more information, contact Julie Kaviar at Julie.Kaviar@cookcountyil.gov. - Content Curated By MG Media