Highland Park Mayor, Police Chief Address Death Of George Floyd

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Highland Park's mayor and police chief released statements Wednesday addressing last week's in-custody homicide of George Floyd in Minneapolis and reaffirming the city's commitment to equal rights and denouncing all acts of bigotry and violence.

In a statement on behalf of elected and appointed city officials, Mayor Nancy Rotering said "far-reaching, swift, meaningful and lasting changes" were long overdue.

"If we pledge 'With liberty and justice for all,' then we cannot allow racism and injustice to persist. It is our responsibility to take action," Mayor Nancy Rotering said.

"We can start by listening more and talking less, resisting the urge to respond with a better or different insight, educating ourselves and others with factual information about systemic racism, and being empathic allies," she added.

Police Chief Lou Jogmen said Floyd's death at the hands of police was indefensible.

"What this guy did, there's nobody — I can tell you, not one officer that I know or talk to, chiefs, patrol, nobody — can make an excuse for it. Nothing," Jogmen told Highland Park Patch.

"Normally when you have a shooting or something there's people who fall on each side. They're like, 'Well, that could have been OK.' Without a doubt, nobody thinks so in this one," he said. "That alone is good news, that we're at least thinking differently."

In April 2018, the Highland Park Police Department was the first in the state to adopt shared principles of public safety developed through coordination between the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP State Conference. Jogmen also said the department has plans to equip officers with body worn cameras as soon as early next year.

No curfew has been declared in Highland Park this week, unlike in Waukegan and Chicago, in response to property damage that in some instances has followed nonviolent protests of police misconduct.

Nightly closure of several exits into Highland Park from Route 41 would be in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice, Jogmen said. A demonstration is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday morning in Sunset Woods Park.

Read complete statements from Jogmen and Rotering below:

Statement from Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen

We as a City are terribly disturbed by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers and the injustices suffered by so many for so long.

All of the members of the Highland Park Police Department and I deeply value our community relationships. We work to ensure that people of color living in or visiting Highland Park are treated fairly and respectfully. The City of Highland Park prioritizes eliminating hate and bias in our community and together we work to reflect the values of our community. I am proud of this partnership and of our efforts. Mr. Floyd’s death is a painful reminder to all who strive for justice of the work that remains before us and I certainly plan to continue our work going forward.

In the wake of the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers and the events that followed, I want to update you regarding our daily work to address issues of bias and hate.

• Highland Park officers receive significant training, focusing on civil rights, human rights, procedural justice, cultural competency, as well as constitutional and proper use of law enforcement authority.
• Highland Park officers require training on moral and ethical decision making, stereotyping and abuse of authority, empathizing and connecting with individuals, hate-crime legislation, cultural diversity training, and implicit bias training with the Anti-Defamation League.
• Through work on behalf of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, in partnership with the Illinois State Conference NAACP we adopted the 10 Shared Principles of Law Enforcement. These principles, the first of their kind nationally, were borne out of a shared understanding and focus on the problems faced by communities of color, their experiences with law enforcement and identifies improvements that need to be made. Every member of our police department has committed to these principles of fair policing, making us the first department in the state to do so. Since we made this commitment, over 160 other departments have followed our lead.
• We meet with high school students, bringing members of law enforcement together with students of color and establishing on-going dialogues.
• Highland Park officers have participated in city-wide anti-bullying initiatives.
• We value and uphold the City of Highland Park statement against hate:

The City of Highland Park unequivocally condemns any racist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBT, ableist, or otherwise hate-[motivated] groups or individuals who are threatening any form of violent acts, bigoted harassment on, or discrimination against our residents, visitors, or city staff. This behavior is never acceptable, but it is particularly outrageous that any groups would further an agenda of hate and fear.

Highland Park will take every possible action to ensure that residents, workers, and visitors will not face discrimination or harassment. Violent threats have no place in our country, state, or city, and will not be tolerated. Reports of such hate crimes are of great concern. Be assured that the City’s Police Department will continue to work closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the continued safety of our community.

• It is important that our staff reflect the community we serve. To that end, we work hard to recruit minority officers and have developed a departmental culture that respects and values the rights of all people, from every background.

It is vitally important that our community holds to our values and stands together in denouncing all acts of bigotry and violence. Hate has no home in Highland Park or anywhere.

Lou Jogmen
Chief of Police
City of Highland Park

Statement from Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering

Our nation is in pain. We mourn the recent murders of Black Americans including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others whose names we haven’t even heard. During this difficult time, it is important to reiterate that we as a City stand against racism, discrimination and the systemic injustices that have existed since our nation’s founding. There must not be another name added to this list.

Necessary and meaningful changes are long overdue. It is up to each of us to ensure that change is far-reaching, swift, meaningful, and lasting. If we pledge “With liberty and justice for all,” then we cannot allow racism and injustice to persist. It is our responsibility to take action.

We can start by listening more and talking less, resisting the urge to respond with a better or different insight, educating ourselves and others with factual information about systemic racism, and being empathic allies.

I speak for all of us at the City and ask that you join us as we work to build more bridges and move forward together as one community. We are a welcoming community and a caring community. Join us in upholding our values and actions as outlined in the City of Highland Park Statement Against Hate:

The City of Highland Park unequivocally condemns any racist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBT, ableist, or otherwise hate-[motivated] groups or individuals who are threatening any form of violent acts, bigoted harassment on, or discrimination against our residents, visitors, or city staff. This behavior is never acceptable, but it is particularly outrageous that any groups would further an agenda of hate and fear.

Highland Park will take every possible action to ensure that residents, workers, and visitors will not face discrimination or harassment. Violent threats have no place in our country, state, or city, and will not be tolerated. Reports of such hate crimes are of great concern. Be assured that the City’s Police Department will continue to work closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the continued safety of our community.

It is vitally important that our community holds to our values and stands together in denouncing all acts of bigotry and violence. Hate has no home in Highland Park or anywhere.

These words, carefully crafted by elected and appointed officials and City staff, represent who we are as a community. The words are not an end, but a beginning. They will continue to guide all of us individually and collectively as we move forward peacefully, passionately, and with purpose to heal and seek to make our community and our nation better. The City of Highland Park will not waiver in its commitment to equal rights and respect for all.

Nancy Rotering
Mayor
City of Highland Park, IL