The Taylorville Police Department last week adopted the Ten Shared Principles designed to promote trust between communities of color and police officers.
It is an initiative that was agreed to by the Illinois National Association for Advancement for Colored People (NAACP) and the Illinois Association of the Chiefs of Police in 2018.
"I believe that in adopting these principles we recognize the need to treat everyone with dignity and respect and to build trust between police and communities," said Taylorville police chief Dwayne Wheeler. "I believe that we have great trust within our city today."
Illinois NAACP president Teresa Haley said at the time of the signing of the agreement at the Old State Capitol Haley that in formulating the principles, the two groups wanted to address issues of diversity and unity.
The agreement was believed to be the first of its kind in the country.
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The initiative between the two groups grew out of the civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014.
The movement with the Taylorville police, Wheeler said, began with the June 4 protest there in light of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25.
The protest in the Christian County seat attracted around 500 people and was among the number of protests in smaller communities around the Springfield area.
"We didn't have one issue (with that protest)," Wheeler recalled. The crowd, Wheeler noted, even sang him "Happy Birthday."
"It's a nice tool to have," Wheeler said. "We went over it with our (city council) and they approved it. The officers read it, believe in it and so now it's part of our mission statement for the Taylorville Police Department."
The department has 26 officers.
The Illinois State Police earlier this month adopted the Ten Shared Principles.
"The principles that the Illinois State Police share with the NAACP are the values that all good people who act in good faith share with one another," said ISP Director Brendan Kelly.
Over 200 departments have adopted the Ten Shared Principles, Wheeler said.