On Oct. 6, the Oak Park Village Board voted 6-1 to let its Citizen Police Oversight Committee evaluate police incidents that affect “community trust.” Supporters call it the first of its kind in the nation. Six trustees applauded. One asked the questions that mattered.
I support civilian oversight. Transparency, community communication, and public education are where residents deserve a voice. But in the most serious cases, an outside reviewer will examine whether an incident was handled according to “policy, procedure, and training.” That evaluates tactics and command decisions. A civilian appointment qualifies someone to offer a civilian perspective, not to judge whether an officer’s tactics were right. This is about competence, not sincerity.
Trustee James Taglia, the lone No vote, put it well: we would not ask an unlicensed citizen commission to judge a fire crew’s tactics, a paramedic’s protocol, or an engineer’s methodology. Policing should not be the exception because the subject is politically charged.
He asked what qualifications commissioners must have before recommending changes to police practice, and who answers if a recommendation compromises safety. Nobody answered. Chief Shatonya Johnson said members need to be fully trained, but nothing in the published account says what that training is or who certifies it. The board approved the framework anyway, with clearer language on its own role to come later.
Defenders say the committee only recommends. Its chair says it interviews no one involved. A body that interviews no one will still judge whether an incident followed training. Then the board, holding the final vote, decides. If police disagree, they may present their view to the board. Trained professionals will petition politicians to defend their own judgment. The chain of command is upside down. And if the recommendations carry no weight, there was no reason to build this. If they do, Taglia’s questions needed answers first.
They say policing is a public matter. Of course it is. The public sets the goal. Trained professionals choose the method.
They say review builds trust. Trust comes from transparency and fair process, not from verdicts by people who cannot be evaluated against professional standards.
Consider the timing. The Halloween Takeover prompted this framework a year ago. This week, the department said it is aware of concerns about large gatherings this Halloween and is prepared. The officers on that line this weekend work for a village that has just built a machine to grade them afterward.
Departments lose experienced officers when the culture around them turns unsupportive and politicized. An officer deciding whether to join or stay in Oak Park will ask whether those who govern understand the job and will judge them fairly. A department looking over its shoulder hesitates when it must act.
Accountability matters. It is not control. It runs through trained supervisors, legal process, transparent data, and review by qualified people. Taglia stood alone for that principle. The other six owe the village an answer to his questions.
Sources:
I don’t have a single source. I compiled the information from Wednesday Journal articles, previous reporting, online research, and the village’s website, including a review of agendas and publicly posted materials. The remainder is based on my personal observations and professional experience gained over 37 years in law enforcement.
Chief Tom Weitzel is a retired police chief and a Fellow of Law Enforcement at Awake Illinois.
