The City of Peoria held a press conference yesterday at Peoria Police headquarters to announce that tickets given to high school students at Manual and Woodruff for walking in the middle of the roadway and/or jaywalking will be abated if the students attend mandatory school assemblies where police officers and school officials will try to give students a “better understanding of the rules.”
Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard stood by his officers, again reiterating that they acted appropriately, even though that’s disputed by local African American leaders. However, he felt the need to “move beyond that disagreement” and recognize that the city, school board, and African American leaders such as local NAACP president Don Jackson all “wanted to get to the same place,” i.e., a safer environment for the children and the motoring public. “We can get there through this assembly process,” he said.
The assembly process should be completed before Thanksgiving.
Don Jackson stated on behalf of the NAACP, “we enthusiastically support this resolution.” Rev. Harvey Burnette, who had previously asked that the tickets be reduced to warnings, was pleased with the outcome. Dr. Rita Ali of the King Holiday Committee also spoke in favor of the resolution.
The agreement was reached during a meeting that included representatives of the city, police, school district, NAACP, King Holiday Committee, and pastors. These groups will continue to meet to improve “community/police relations.”
My two cents: Message received. Tickets can be adjudicated in the court of public opinion. Fines can be wiped away if enough public pressure and, most importantly, the race card are applied. No need to go through established processes.
I realize racism exists and is a problem in this community. One need look no further than the Journal Star website’s comments section to see it on display every day. But these tickets had nothing to do with racism. They had everything to do with children walking in the middle of the street, obstructing motorists, and intimidating drivers.
Yes, in one case, there was an eyewitness who said the children she saw were not walking in the middle of the street. But wouldn’t it have been better to have that come out in court? To have the police and the eyewitness testify and let a judge make a determination? Then it’s on the record, and steps can be taken to rectify that situation through established processes. Isn’t that the reason those systems were established in the first place?
Instead, these children plus all the other students who were ticketed — meaning all those whose culpability was never disputed — get off scot-free. What message does that send?
It sends the message that playing the victim and accusing police of racism works. It sends the message that African Americans evidently can’t get a fair hearing in a court of law, so their hearing needs to be held in the court of public opinion instead. It sends the message that African Americans and the police are enemies who need some sort of arbitrator in the form of a “community/police relations” committee.
It sends the wrong message. It doesn’t teach the students personal responsibility for their actions. And it does nothing to battle real racism.
One post-script: the police chief did say that “there will be enforcement in the future.” Hopefully that future enforcement will be supported by all community leaders so we can get back to dealing with the real problem in this particular case: children walking in the middle of streets.
I was a little torked off when I heard this. The first report I heard said something to the effect of “if they successfully complete” the assembly, but unless they skip school on that day, how could they not?
If they were going to drop the tickets, and I don’t think they should, at minimum some community service should be tied into having them attend an assembly where they probably won’t pay attention anyway. Have them pick up some litter or something.
And people wonder why people are moving North into Dunlap?
No, C.J., what hopefully is the message that is being sent out:
“The Peoria Police should find better things to do with their time. Like… cracking down on crack houses.”
This was so stupid, I mean REALLY stupid from the outset. I am just not impressed with Settingsgard (sp), whatsoever. He is an ill fit for Peoria. Green Bay? Sure. White suburbs of Milwaukee? Of course. But, Peoria? No.
The dude does not run a proactive program. It is reactive and in a very stupid way, particularly in the South End. And yet, he handles himself and responds to questions as if everyone else is clueless… and HE has the answer(s).
Kids will be kids. Hell, I recall kids at my school walking out in the street in the mid 70s, for cryin’ out loud. People just slowed down, drove carefully (which they should have been doing anyhow), and shook their heads,
And said, “Silly kids.”
Nowadays, our Norse God Chief sends the battle battalions to the HORRIFIC scene.
Bleeeeeeeeeeeech.
Indeed, kids will be kids. Now if only grown-ups would be grown-ups.
“having them attend an assembly where they probably won’t pay attention anyway.”
Except that from here forward, there is no “I didn’t know” defense for students jaywalking. The police will have covered all possible bases, far above and beyond what they should have to do, and future tickets shouldn’t be disputable on the grounds of “I didn’t know!” or race — regardless of whether students bother to pay attention in the assembly.
Obviously high school students should know basic traffic laws and adhere to them, but sometimes the easiest thing to do is all kinds of pro forma education/notification/whatever and THEN nail the offenders. It’s just easier.
Prego: how about when these law abiding kids refuse to get out of the street and let a car pass; and whden the driver dares to honk the horn sdo he can pass, the law abiding kids finger him/her and even approach the car, scaring the hell out of the driver. It’s not just walking in the street, dumbo, it’s what they do in the street.
I don’t drive down North in front of Central anymore. It got to be too intimidating. I have seen them hit the sides of the cars in front of me. They are yelling at each other and at the cars. The last thing I need is to be the crazy white b—- that ran down a bunch of disadvantaged youth in broad daylight and started a race riot. Now I just take the interstate home and risk having a brick dropped on me.
People complain that the police should be taking care of more impressive crime. Well that crime started out with the little stuff. Jaywalking, throwing stones, bullying, etc. Stop it at the small level and it doesn’t get to the big stuff. One additional thing should be added to the assemblies on the rules and that is a test at the end. Those that pass the test don’t get fined, those that fail pay the fine.
Roman II, are you calling ME “Dumbo”? Cause if you are, thanks… cause he was awfully cute in that Disney movie.
And SD is right, of course. If we can just jail ALL of those dirty jaywalkers, the 1 or 2% of them that will be holding up liquor stores will no longer be able to do so in, say, 5-10 years.
Sah-lute!
More importantly, Prego, they won’t be able to obstruct traffic and intimidate drivers right now.
Prego: didn’t mean you in my first response as beidng dumbo, but after your second one, I do! You must live in Pekin.
Well, RomanII, it would be grand if the Pekin bomb made any sense… of course, if it does to you, have at it. Nope, don’t live in Pekin… but, I’m believing that even some of the folks in South Pekin have better senses of humor than you and ol’ C.J. do…
Yeee-hah!
You’d have to have a sense of humor to live in South Pekin! 😛
I didn’t say jail everyone that jaywalks. But if you start making young children obey the rules of society you will have a lot less problem with them as they grow up. Its simple common sense. Start them out on the right path to obeying the rules of society and you have less crime later on.
Does everybody understand that this had to do with youths threatening motorists?
Vonster: the voice of reason. That is the point. I also agree with CJ!
The internet will go down tonight for sure when this gets out..