DeKALB – The City of DeKalb’s Human Relations Commission will on Tuesday host a zoom meeting for community members to share ideas for police reform amid ongoing local Black Lives Matter demonstrations spurred by the death of George Floyd.
The meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday will be conducted as a Zoom meeting at the City of DeKalb Police Department, 700 W. Lincoln Hightway starting, according to a news release.
The virtual meeting format will allow an unrestricted number of DeKalb residents to be part of the meeting and follow the State of Illinois COVID-19, Phase 3 regulations of group meetings needing to be kept at 10 or fewer individuals, the release states.
The purpose of the meeting is for the HRC to receive community input to assist the commission in making recommendations to the City of DeKalb that would improve the relationships between the community and the City of DeKalb Police Department. It is requested that any community input be focused on specific recommendations they believe should be considered by the Human Relations Commission as the commission formulates their recommendations to the city, the release states.
Daily protests have occurred outside the DeKalb Police Department and elsewhere throughout the county after May 30. Some protest leaders met with a handful of city officials, including Mayor Jerry Smith, Acting Police Chief Bob Redel and City Manager Bill Nicklas Saturday at the police department to take part in a dialogue, begin discussions of steps to ensure protesters remain safe and peaceful and build relationships between law enforcement and minority and black community members.
Protests locally and nationwide were spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man, who was killed while in police custody of Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer who was seen in video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes. Chauvin was later fired from the department, arrested and charged with murder.
Floyd’s death has rekindled calls from the black community for reform in law enforcement among other areas in relation to practices which disproportionately impact people of color.
To participate via this Zoom Meeting, use the following information on signing into the meeting, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82094596310?pwd=Tk1yWjdYN3BwZjg1ekplQ21sT080UT09 and use the meeting ID: 820 9459 6310and password: 794341.
To participate via phone, call +13126266799,,82094596310#,,1#,794341# US (Chicago) and use the meeting ID and password.
For those individuals who do not have an internet connection or phone access, recommendations may be mailed to the City of DeKalb, 164 E. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115 or dropped off at the Police Department, 700 W. Lincoln Highway., DeKalb.
Please note on the mailed or dropped-off envelope, Recommendation for HRC.
Written recommendations received after the June 16 meeting will be reviewed at the HRC regular meeting on July 7.
For information or questions, call management analyst Jason Blumenthal at 815-748-2396.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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