Berwyn residents speak out at police ‘listening session’

Residents expressed recurring themes when they spoke out April 28 at the Berwyn Police Department’s listening session led by Division Cmdr. Guy Papa.

“No one should feel targeted or harassed by the police yet we all did when we attended the BLM rally at City Hall last year,” said Summer Butler, a teacher and 11-year-resident. She was referring to the last year’s Black Lives Matter rally in Berwyn, where police with cameras and guns perched on rooftops surrounding the peaceful, celebratory event.

Butler was referring to the Aug. 11 Black Lives Matter mural unveiling, where police with cameras and guns were perched on rooftops surrounding the peaceful, celebratory event.

“The fact that any public servant of Berwyn does not understand an anxiety triggered by the police by now confirms their opposition in seeing people of color as people,” said Butler, who is Black. “The job is hard. The institution is racist.”

In about an hour of comments, Berwyn residents spoke of the need for accountability, clarity, transparency and respect from Berwyn police. Residents also repeatedly brought up several specific issues.

While Chief Michael Cimaglia’s absence was noted and criticized as not engendering public trust, Papa said the session provided him with feedback that he wanted to act on. The session was recorded and will be presented to the city’s administration, Papa said.

“I really do appreciate the suggestions brought forward,” Papa said after the meeting. “I feel it was productive and would like to implement some ideas into our daily practice. I hope our residents that attended feel the same.”

Papa stressed at the meeting that he wasn’t there to provide answers; he was there to listen.

Papa was joined by Unit Cmdr. Gavin Zarbock, Detective Kayla Strejc, officer Juan Macias and Deputy Fire Chief Mark Warta, all of whom said they had lived or currently live in Berwyn.

After the meeting, Papa said Berwyn police are in the process of reviewing all department policies “to meet the standards of the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.”

“I do not have an exact date that this project will be completed. However, we are hopeful that all of our policies will meet ILEAP standards in the near future,” Papa said.

Residents raised numerous questions at the meeting, including:

• Why did it take two years for Berwyn police to adopt the “Ten Shared Principles” established in 2018 by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police? Residents wanted to know what adopting those principles looks like in terms of policing in Berwyn.
• What are the goals of the traffic checkpoints? What do they accomplish? How are the locations decided, and what kind of data is collected?
• Why were police stationed on the rooftops during the Aug. 11 BLM mural unveiling?

Residents also expressed fear and anger over videos and photos taken of Berwyn police officers with white men breaking curfew and carrying bats and boards during the height of last summer’s civil unrest. Residents also are concerned that Mayor Robert Lovero on April 21 posted on his mayoral Facebook page that Berwyn was “free of racial bias and inequality” and publicly dismissed concerns about the Aug. 11 policing as a problem of “optics.”

Lou Weeks and Joyce Colton, Berwyn homeowners since 2014, had a written statement read into the record.

“Last summer, vigilantes took to the streets. Took pictures of themselves with Berwyn police officers. Black residents of Berwyn were afraid to go outside,” the statement read. “When we heard Mayor Lovero say that having police officers on the roof of City Hall with long rifles pointed at a very peaceful demonstration was a problem of ‘optics,’ we were floored.”

Sandy Cervenka expressed frustration with traffic checkpoints on Ridgeland Avenue, noting they tied up traffic on a busy street during rush hour.

“I have asked what was being accomplished. Nobody releases that info. It’s like some deep, dark secret,” Cervenka said.

Papa addressed the practice after the meeting. He said the traffic stops aligned with the Illinois Department of Transportation’s goal of reducing traffic injury and fatalities and “have been instrumental in recovering narcotics and firearms that have resulted in many misdemeanor and felony convictions.

“Several residents commented that they feel safe with the presence of the officers on their block,” he added.

Kathleen Doherty, who lives on Wenonah Avenue, addressed the “Ten Shared Principles,” calling them a “starting point.”

“You can’t hold accountability to the shared principles until you admit and look at the racism in the system and start working out from there,” Doherty said.

Sabine Krauss asked whether more officers could actually live in Berwyn, thus increasing their stake in the community.

“No one likes criticism, but if you have an open mind and are willing to work toward the 10 principles you adopted, trust is the first thing we have to work on,” Krauss said. “We are looking for this willingness to listen and be transparent. As taxpayers, we are footing the bill for your services. It is not just the elected officials that you should pay attention to.”

Butler ended with some suggestions for Berwyn police and the city’s leadership.

“You have a real opportunity to unify Berwyn and make it the welcoming city that the mayor professes and signs ordinances for it to be,” Butler said. “You actually have a level of authority to make it easier for families like mine to live encompassed in unity in this community right now. Or you could ignore it only to address it later in a written letter of lip service to the public on your website or Facebook page.

“There is a widely known racial history and legacy here and this is and will continue to be documented for history’s sake. You have a privilege that I don’t have access to in this country, but can only see as a hard-fought demand. People in this community do not see us as human beings without exception. Let’s fix that.”