County Cuts 'Homeland Security' From Department, Committee Names

CHICAGO — After the presence of a command van caused concerns at an Evanston street fair over the summer, the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to remove the term "homeland security" from its emergency management agency and committee.

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, or DHSEM, is no more. Commissioners considered going with DEMPS, the Department of Emergency Management and Public Safety. But instead, the board decided to rename it the Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, or DEMRS.

The change was triggered by the backlash to the presence of a county-owned emergency command van at the Custer Fair on June 15 in Evanston, according to Commissioner Larry Suffredin, 13th District, the sponsor of the ordinance to rename the department.

"There was a situation that occurred in Evanston in which some of our citizens became very concerned when one of the trucks that the Homeland Security Department had — which said 'Homeland Security' on the side and was a mobile command vehicle — thinking that it was the federal government and they were coming to a street fair, and they caused panic and concern in a number of families," Suffredin said.

Due to the name and logo, the county department had the potential to be confused with the federal agency U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE. The Evanston Democrat said he soon learned the same situation was happening in other locations.

"Since our citizens and our residents have been scared of what the federal government is up to, we wanted to clarify what is the purpose of this entity that we created in Cook County, so what we're doing here is we're changing not only the name of the department but also the name of this committee," Suffredin said Wednesday, at what turned out to be the final meeting of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Committee under that name.

Bill Barnes, the department's executive director, told the committee he had been hearing concerns from residents and elected officials in recent months that having "homeland security" in its name had caused "some problems."

"First of all, it does a disservice to the important role that we play throughout the county. But more shockingly to me," Barnes said, "it was inspiring fear in the very communities we are dedicated to serving. Because my department serves all communities, regardless of immigration status, it was clear that we needed to act quickly, decisively and thoughtfully."

Barnes said the first step was to change the previous logo, which he said was "suspiciously similar" to the federal government department, to the Cook County seal. He said the department would soon begin putting the new logo on its property, including command vehicles.

Settling on a new name was more challenging, resulting in a five-week strategic planning and engagement effort including local, state and federal stakeholders, according to his presentation to commissioners.

"This name isn't just something that we came up with by playing 'Word Boggle' or 'Word Jumble,' it was something that was very thoughtful," Barnes said.

The "emergency management" part of the name captures the department's legally mandated responsibility, while "regional security" captures its additional roles which include working with Chicago and suburban municipalities, he said.

"We are local, and we have local needs and local problems that we want to solve in a collaborative process. Invariably, those needs and problems are at a disconnect with the feds. We don't deal with the immigration issues that are prioritized at the national level," Barnes said.

The director said his department plays a key role accepting and investing federal funds, which usually have a "counter-terrorism slant," in county preparedness programs. According to the presentation, the rebranding will take place in three phases over the next 18 months or so, starting with the vehicles with the highest level of visibility and use.

Commissioner Alma Anaya, 7th District, the Democratic co-sponsor of the ordinance to rename DHSEM to DEMRS, said there were still potential opportunities for people to be confused about the its role.

"As we move forward, we need to really dissect and rebrand the department. The county government shouldn't be a place where people fear us. We definitely should be a place where we build trust" Anaya said.

"I stand firmly committed to making sure that we're providing assistance here at the county and that we're not necessarily tying ourselves in any shape, way or form to the system at the federal level who has really focused on terrorizing immigrant communities," she said.

Anaya said Barnes told her the department would be "uncoupling" with the Department of Homeland Security. She said it was important to figure out what support Cook County was providing to the "unjust immigration enforcement system."Anaya said it was important to make sure the county was not partnering with federal officials to surveil or profile immigrant communities.

Commissioner Peter Silvestri, the 9th District Republican, said the change in the logo should be helpful.

"I think that the seal itself will go a long way to educating people on what the department is," Silvestri said. "But the work continues, I'm sure."

Commissioner Donna Miller said friends and family in Evanston sent her pictures of the truck at the Custer Fair and voiced concerns.

"I've heard from other constituents in my district, as well, when they've seen the truck out there," the 6th District Democrat said, pointing out the department provides much-needed services and the rebranded vehicles could also be useful for public health services.

Commissioner Deborah Sims, a Democrat from the 5th District and the board's second-longest serving member, asked commissioners to remember the formation of the committee nearly two decades ago.

"We can't forget what the department is really supposed to be about. And it is homeland security. We must not forget that. We must not forget 9/11 happened, and that's the reason why that committee happened," Sims said.

"I understand the concern of the people, but I was here on 9/11, I know why that committee was created, so we must not forget that," she said. "People that weren't here don't understand how we got to that point and why this committee exists."

More: Cook County Homeland Security Command Van Moved Amid Complaints