Lincoln Police Chief Paul Adams answers what you want to know during these volatile days

 

[June 08, 2020]  The news these last two weeks tells a story on a scale never seen before in U.S. history: nation-wide riots, wide spread violence in 52 major cities, mob actions, looting, neighborhood stores and buildings burnt, windows broken, buildings, monuments and even artworks defaced with graffiti, citizens being killed attempting to protect their property, and law officers being killed in the line of duty.  Most of the violence has taken place in larger cities with threads of outbreaks in many larger central Illinois communities. 

Triggering this uprising is a history of racial inequity in our country plus a level of aggression law enforcement has displayed toward persons of color.

In a civil society we count on the law and persons conducting enforcement to protect us as individuals and maintain the peace in our communities. 

This past week our local law enforcement has been on high alert and doing extra duty to protect our community. 

At the start of the week, law enforcement was called out to work with businesses, particularly out by the highway, where credible threats by outside influences were coming here to do damage and other potential violence.

Later in the week, the Democratic Socialist Party organized and conducted a peaceful march from Postville Park to the Logan County Courthouse.  The aim was to educate the community on how to bring about equitable change, a core message of the Black Lives Matter movement.  Lincoln Daily News will have that story for you on Monday.

Throughout the week, and particularly on Thursday for the rally, Lincoln officers were present for the safety of all.  A squad car was provided to protect the large group from road traffic as they walked to the courthouse.

You may be wondering how keeping the peace on a day-to-day basis is being carried out in Lincoln, Illinois today.  What are the standards and the attitude practiced by the Lincoln Police Department.

Lincoln Police Chief Paul Adams took time during this extra-heavy-duty and sensitive period to give us all some insight and to share some key information on what we all want and need to know:

Chief Paul Adams:

Q: Are there things people here in Lincoln/Logan County can do (or not do) to ease tensions for everyone and make every day better for all people? 

A: My grandpa once raised dogs and he received a beautiful female that was dropped off that was deathly afraid of humans.  She was so scared and it was because she was mistreated by the former owner.  If you even came close she would snarl and snip out at you, only to protect herself.  

As a boy myself, I cared and wanted to see this dog to survive.  So I spent the time, showed compassion, loved her, and cared for her to the point where she loved to see me and wouldn’t let other humans get near me, protecting me like her own pup.  

There are those that treat others bad in our community only because of their skin color. There are those that treat officers bad in our community even though that officer has never seen that person before, but because they wear a uniform.  Sometimes this is learned through personal experience, but most often taught through family, friends, media, etc.  I think it takes time communicating, showing compassion, and actually caring for each other that we will build great relationships.

Q: What discussions and training do Lincoln Police Department officers receive to de-escalate one-on-one hostility or mob actions?  

A: Most training, officers receive while in the academy, and [later] departments continue training in house and [through] outside training events.   

The State of Illinois in response to previous racial issues and disparity in training, since Ferguson, implemented new laws that require mandated and routine training in several topic areas including Civil Rights, Procedural Justice, Constitutional Law Enforcement Authority, Cultural Competency, Human Rights, Legal Updates, and Use of Force. 

Illinois Law Enforcement has done a lot to help with these issues, and the Lincoln Police Department immediately implemented this training and has been training on these topics for several years. 

These mandates also come with routine follow-up training which will reinforce the principals, but also adjust to change as we move forward.

Q:  Are there things the public should know to do if an officer stops them; how should the person behave (in a car or on the street)?

A: Most incidents result from physical resistance while an officer is conducting a lawful investigation or arrest. 

Even if you are being arrested and you believe the officer is wrong in what he/she is doing, resistance will only cause more issues.  It is not the time and place to fight as the officer is required to fulfill their duty, and once someone resists, the officer is obligated to use more force to control the situation.  That resistance will also add additional charges to something that could easily been dealt with in the court system in a controlled and civil way. 

The officer, who is a community member, has a family that they are providing for and all they want is a peaceful day.  They don’t want to have an altercation in any way shape or form, but we are trained to deal with those situations as they are presented.

Q: Are there any safety precautions the public should exercise here in Lincoln and Logan County during this period of national unrest?

A: Just be mindful of local events and their locations to avoid traffic backups or disturbances. 

Q: How are your officers trained to handle racial divides in the field?

A: Our department, along with many other departments in Illinois, adopted the 10 Shared Principals of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police in cooperation with the Illinois National Association of Advancement of Colored People  (NAACP.)  I personally sat-in in a meeting when we were having discussions with the IL NAACP in Bloomington years ago. 

I believe we are on the right track for a better future, but this is will take time and doesn’t happen overnight.  Just like making friends with someone that is scared.  https://www.ilchiefs.org/shared-principles

Sincerely,
Chief Adams]

[Jan Youngquist]