This week marks six years since the Park Forest Police Department adopted the Ten Shared Principles, a group of standards to guide the relationship between law enforcement and the communities and people they serve.
The Ten Shared Principles, which aim to "replace mistrust with mutual trust wherever, whenever, and however we can," were first agreed to on March 22, 2018, by the Illinois National Association for Advancement for Colored People (NAACP) and the Illinois Association of the Chiefs of Police.
The move came on the heels of several high-profile incidents across the country involving interactions between law enforcement professionals and people of color, some leading to civil unrest.
Three days after the Illinois NAACP and the Illinois Association of the Chiefs of Police adopted it, the Park Forest Police Department posted a message on its Facebook page vowing to join the effort.
"The Park Forest Police Department supports the resolution and is taking a proactive approach to following its principles," the March 25, 2018 post read.
Six months later, on September 25, 2018, then-police chief Christopher Mannino affixed his signature to a document outlining the Ten Shared Principles agreed to by the NAACP and the Illinois Association of the Chiefs of Police, officially calling for its adoption by the Park Forest Police Department.
Park Forest Police Chief Brian Rzyski said this month's anniversary of adopting the Ten Shared Principles provides an opportunity for local law enforcement professionals and the community to reflect on the progress made and renew the effort.
"We take the Oath of Office to protect and serve very seriously here in Park Forest," said Rzyski. "I believe that by embracing these principles, we acknowledge the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect and fostering trust between the police and communities of color."
Since 2018, the Park Forest Police Department has created an annual Unity Day event to unite law enforcement and the Park Forest community. The event includes music, games, and free food, drawing close to 500 attendees each year. The department has also sponsored additional programming aimed at enhancing dialogue, like Coffee With a Cop, and the creation of a Problem Orientated Policing Program that assigns an officer to each neighborhood of Park Forest, providing contact information for that officer on the Village's website and encouraging residents to contact the officer with questions. Additionally, the Park Forest Police Department has filled many recent vacancies in the department with officers from diverse backgrounds, moving the organization closer better to reflect the make-up of the Park Forest community.
Rzyski says that it is crucial that although significant strides have been made over the years, there is more work to be done, and a framed 10 Shared Principles document helps remind officers daily.
"The poster is displayed twice in the Park Forest Police Department," Rzyski said. "Once in the lobby, but perhaps more importantly, immediately beside the door where officers exit the building to go to their squad cars for each call for service. These are hung as a constant reminder to our officers of our enormous duty to serve the public and improve community relationships."