(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul shared some of the concerning findings of a three-year investigation into a southwest suburban police department on Thursday.
The more than 150 page report into the Joliet Police Department begins with some key findings.
Among them, the department has a pattern of using excessive force – everything from tasers to head strikes.
Policing practices discriminate against people of color, responses to sexual assault allegations tend to discriminate against women and a lack of deescalating during police encounters.
The investigation began after the 2020 death of a Black man who was in police custody.
A statement from Raul and Juliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy reads in part, “Joliet residents deserve lawful and constitutional policing that is fair to all people, regardless of race or gender.”
Both are promising continued cooperation and changes to department policy.
On Thursday afternoon, the Joliet Police Department issued their own statement addressing the investigation’s findings, stating that it does not accurately depict the present police department.
“This is not the Joliet Police Department of today, but rather a picture of the past. Since the onset of the investigation, we have fully cooperated with the Attorney General’s Office,” Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said.
“We provided them with unfettered access to all available information because we wanted to be as transparent as possible. In reading the report, we respectfully disagree with some of the conclusions drawn from their investigation.”
Evans highlighted that the department has made changes that are supported by the mayor's office and the city manager’s office in his two and half years as police chief.
“We’re proud to have updated over 90 policies regarding overall operations, including police accountability, transparency, and oversight. This department far exceeds all state-mandated training, and we’ve upgraded our technology and equipment, including outfitting all our officers with body-worn cameras to increase accountability and oversight.”
In June, Joliet’s first ever Public Safety Forum took place to facilitate conversations between the public and police officials.
Evans also mentioned a new survey program that gauges people’s satisfaction with the police department after calling 911. The department has an 85% satisfaction rate.
Read the full statement from Raul and D’Arc below:
“Joliet residents deserve lawful and constitutional policing that is fair to all people, regardless of race or gender. We are committed to continuing the collaborative work that began when the prior Joliet city leadership, led by former Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, invited the Attorney General’s office to open an investigation, in response to concerns raised by the public, following the tragic death of Eric Lurry after his arrest in 2020 by JPD officers.
“Throughout the three years of this investigation, the city of Joliet and the Joliet Police Department have fully cooperated with this investigation. A team comprised of attorneys and staff in the Public Interest Division of the Attorney General’s office, in consultation with law enforcement experts, reviewed thousands of pages of documents provided by the department. In addition, the team carried out dozens of interviews with officers, supervisors, command staff, union representatives, members of the community and other professionals who interact with members of the department. The investigative team also made on-site visits, participated in ride-alongs, observed trainings, and reviewed hundreds of hours of squad car and body camera video.
“That work has culminated in a report; however, today’s report is not the conclusion. Rather, we will collaboratively continue, and expand the meaningful changes that have already been enacted since the election of Mayor D’Arcy. Mayor D’Arcy and the city of Joliet in conjunction with the Attorney General’s office are committed to an ongoing collaboration to enact additional changes and provide the gold standard of police services for its citizens.”
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