South Suburban Police Adopt New Policing Principles From NAACP

OAK FOREST, IL — All but ten villages and municipalities in Cook County's 6th District gathered last week to adopt the "Ten Shared Principles of Policing," a National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples' framework to encourage police reform.

The event was held by Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller and saw participation from mayors and police chiefs from 26 of the district's 36 municipalities, according to officials.

The ten principles include statements supporting diversity in policing, de-escalation tactics and a commitment to community policing. The framework was created by the NAACP in 2018 with the help of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

According to NAACP officials, around 230 public bodies have pledged to adopt the principles in the last four years including the Cook County Sheriff's Office and the Cook County Forest Preserves Police. The Chicago Police Department has not adopted the principles.

"When we first created the Ten Shared Principles, we envisioned building stronger communities and better interactions with law enforcement for all Illinoisans, and we’ve been so encouraged by the commitment exhibited across the state,” said NAACP Illinois State Conference President Teresa Haley in a press release.

Chiefs and mayors from Alsip, Dolton, Flossmoor, Matteson, Oak Forest, Hazel Crest, Richton Park and Sauk Village were at the official signing at Oak Forest City Hall Monday.

"The Ten Shared Principles provide a foundation on which we can build strong relationships between our communities and law enforcement throughout and beyond the Southland,” said Miller. “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and I’m so proud that such a diverse group of leaders came together [Monday] to reaffirm their support of these principles and celebrate the diversity, community, and unity of the 6th District."