Dear Mayor, Adopt the GAPA Ordinance
Dear Honorable Mayor Lightfoot,
I am a member of the Community Renewal Society and part of the Police Accountability issue team for many years. I joined the team because a police officer profiled and assaulted my son outside our home in Northlake, Illinois. My son was sixteen when this incident occurred. The officer asked for his name, my son responded that he lived here and that I was “right over there,” pointing to my car down the block. The officer did not hear what my son was telling him. He began to handcuff him and when my son tried to readjust his hand the officer knocked him to the ground. His head landed on the driveway. He was pulled up to his feet in handcuffs and was on the back of the police car when I drove up to the house, three minutes later. There were three squad cars pulling up in front of my home. I got out of my car upset and wanted to know what was going on. Another officer told me to go stand by my car or they would arrest me too. When I looked around, there were about seven squad cars and a large group of police standing watching the officer place my son in the back of the car. No one acknowledged me or came over to tell me anything. Ten minutes later the officer that assaulted my son and his superior officer walked over to where I was standing. They told me that if my son had given his name, when the officer asked, this would have prevented the whole incident. They explained that there had been a number of robberies in the area and my son fit the description of the robber. He was wearing a hoodie and riding a bike. Prior to this incident, I had some community circle and conflict resolution training. I didn’t want my son or myself to walk away from this incident with a feeling that we could not count on our city’s police officers to protect us. I also thought it would be helpful for the officer to get some clarification of the situation. So I had suggested that perhaps there could be a healthy and restorative dialog between my son and the officer, in order to repair and improve the relationship between them. The supervising officer said, “Mam, what world are you living in?” I said, “a world in which there can be some healing when harm is done. I work in healthcare and often have to apologize to my patients when they are upset or feel mistreated. I also know it’s illegal to physically touch a person without letting them know what they are being taken into custody for.” The Supervising officer then responded, “Mam, there is a law that allows an officer to stop a person for any reason and if the individual does not comply by answering questions or following orders the officer has the right to grab that person right out of their car, through the window if need be.” I don’t think I said anything after that. There really wasn’t anything to say to the officers. They released my son from the handcuffs, and shortly after, all the officers left. Their harmful actions still affect me and my son.
Today I work with members of GAPA, Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability. I know that there are stories of police misconduct that are more destructive to communities and individuals, than what I encountered that evening. However, that does not prevent me from being a voice for change, when I witness an injustice in this world. I believe that GAPA has worked very hard to come up with an ordinance that should be added to the CPD’s new police contract. It could allow for collaboration for community leaders, members, and law enforcement, and forge a relationship built on trust and respect for law enforcement. If the system is left as it is, it will continue to fail all of us and we will all lose.
Most of the police officers that I have talked to went into law enforcement with the intent to help, serve, and protect people in their precinct. Most of them found out, early in their career, how broken the system is. First responders are often asked to do more than they have been trained or mentally equipped to handle. Thus, adding to job burnout and high suicide rates amongst officers.
We have an opportunity right now to change the current system that has failed all of us. It will take courage, but I know that we can find it together; police officers, community members, and elected public officials. There has to be a better way. Too many people have been mistreated, traumatized and killed because nothing effective has been done to improve the relationships. There is only a small percentage of the population in any one community that are dangerous criminals. The remainder could all be living together working out their differences, (most likely minimal) and building and healing their relationships.
Mayor Lightfoot the first time I saw you speak at a press conference it sounded like you were supportive of the GAPA ordinance and defended those points that others were afraid would give too much power to the community and less protection to the CPD, police union, mayor and city council. I also thought you would make a great mayor for Chicago. One of these things has happened. You are the Mayor of Chicago! Yes!! I felt tremendous hope and possibility walking beside you, during a peace walk, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. I felt like finally peace was going to come to the City of Chicago. I ask that you please adopt and implement the GAPA Ordinance into the new CPD contract, so the relationships within our communities can start the healing process. Now is the time for peace and justice, and I ask that you lead the way.
Peace,
Sarah Harmon