Improving relations between police and the public

Springfield officials pledged to work harder to diversify the
police department, inform the public about existing channels for holding
law-enforcement officers accountable and “promote transparency for the
community.”

Those were among
steps outlined in an “action plan” released by members of Mayor Misty Buscher’s
administration, local nonprofits and religious leaders after more than 20
private meetings to improve relations between the public and the police since
the July 2024 killing of Sonya Massey.

About 60 people
attended a July 28 evening open house at Southeast High School when the plan
was released by Springfield Police Department representatives and other members
of Springfield Community Partners – United for Change.

In addition
to the police department, the mayor and members of her cabinet, partners
included the NAACP’s Springfield branch, Springfield School District 186,
Springfield Urban League, Ministerial Alliance of Springfield and Vicinity,
Faith Coalition for the Common Good, Black Lives Matter Springfield and the
Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The killing of Massey,
involving a Black woman with mental-health issues who was shot to death by a
white Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy  in a confrontation captured on police-worn body camera footage,
attracted international media attention and increased tensions between police
and the public in Springfield.

Former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, 31, of Riverton, has been charged with first-degree murder in the case, pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in October.

Related

Sean Grayson’s attorneys withdraw cease-and-desist request against Massey Commission

Former sheriff’s deputy moved to Sangamon County Jail while awaiting trial

Springfield
Community Partners said in a document handed out at the open house that it
formed “to ensure a structured and sustainable response.” The document is available on the Springfield Police Department’s website.

“The group’s
mission is to categorize community concerns, collaborate on viable solutions
and implement policies and practices that will enhance police-community
relations in Springfield,” the document said.

Plans by SPD
and city officials call for them to:

·
Expand partnerships with “key
stakeholders” to host future community recruitment events for SPD jobs.

·
Increase public awareness on how
to file and follow up on complaints about police conduct and distribute a new
information flyer about the mayor-appointed Springfield Police Community Review
Commission. That flyer is available online.

The commission can make nonbinding recommendations to the police chief. The Springfield
City Council soon will consider a suggested ordinance from the commission to
extend the time period from 15 to 30 days for a citizen to activate the
commission’s review process after the citizen receives results of an
internal-affairs investigation.

* Expand
training for police on de-escalation and the historical context of policing in
Springfield.

*Expand the
information available on the SPD transparency website regarding crime data,
complaint reports, news releases and department updates.

*Expand and
increase awareness of the SPD peer-support network to encourage police to seek
mental-health support.

Springfield
Community Partners’ meetings grew out of a public listening session attended by
more than 500 people and held at Union Baptist Church just weeks after Massey’s
death. The follow-up meetings were private, and most were held with a
representative of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service,
Buscher said.

Ward 2 Ald.
Shawn Gregory took issue with the process to produce the plan, saying that he
and the two other members of the Springfield Black Aldermanic Caucus – Ward 3
Ald. Roy Williams Jr. and Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase – weren’t informed
about the closed-door meetings or consulted.

The three
alderpersons should have been included, Gregory said, because they often are
the first to receive complaints from their constituents about police, and they
help hold the Buscher administration accountable.

Even though
there can be improvements within SPD, Gregory said, “We have one of the better
police departments in the state.” He faulted the Buscher administration, rather
than police department officials, for the lack of transparency.

“They don’t
want to be hearing my mouth,” he said.

Gregory, who attended the open house, said afterward that he hadn’t had a chance to study
all the recommendations, but some appeared vague. Regardless, Gregory said he
is willing to work with Springfield Community Partners in the future.

When asked by
Illinois Times to respond to
Gregory’s comments, Buscher and Police Chief Joseph Behl said in a joint
statement, “This process was never about any one individual; aside from
honoring the memory of Sonya Massey, it was about addressing the relationship
between the community and policing in the wake of a tragic incident. That
tragedy called for healing, accountability and meaningful dialogue.”

The statement
added, in part, “Elected officials were not included in this particular
structure, not because their voices aren’t valued, but because the (Department
of Justice Community Relations Service) model intentionally centers direct
community-law enforcement dialogue, separate from political leadership.

“That said,
moving forward, we are absolutely committed to ensuring that all voices,
including those of our elected officials, are part of advancing this work. We
would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the alderman and members of the
Black Caucus to explore how we can deepen collaboration and ensure that the
process we’ve made continues with shared purpose and unity.”

This article appears in Repeat offender and July 24-30, 2025.