River Forest Police Hosting Social Justice Public Forums: Dates

RIVER FOREST, IL — The River Forest Police Department encourages residents to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas during the upcoming Policing and Social Justice Public Forums, interactive conversations being hosted by the police department via Facebook Live at 6 p.m., June 24 and July 8. According to a news release, members of the police department will be available during the public forums to discuss several themes, listed below. The interactive conversation will also include questions and answers from the community and members of the department.

Described by the police department as a unique opportunity to make progressive and meaningful change with the Village and policing strategies, the forum themes include:

• Services the police department provides to the community.
• The makeup and composition of the department.
• Training the department receives on diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence.
• Training the department receives in use of force, deescalation, and the changing roles and responsibilities of a police officer.
• The department’s monitoring and measurement of the application and effectiveness of training.
• The department’s response to citizen complaints and the role of the internal affairs process.
• Understanding existing state criminal statutes that may disproportionately affect underrepresented community members.
• Existing alternative to arrest programs and development of enhanced programs to reduce the challenges for vulnerable populations.
• Description of the process of how individuals move through the criminal justice system.
• Responsibilities of the State’s Attorney’s office, Chief Judge’s office, the Cook County Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Corrections.
• Opportunities for the Police Department to continue and improve on community engagement and partnerships, plus to share best practices in interactions with police in public, at home, or in vehicles.

The forums will take place via Facebook Live on the Village of River Forest Facebook page.

> See forum flyer for more information