title
REPORT
Department: Office of the General Superintendent
Request: Refer to Law Enforcement Committee
Report Title: Independent Analysis of the Forest Preserves of Cook County Police Department
Report Period: 10/19/2020 - 4/27/2021
Summary: In 2020, the Forest Preserves of Cook County issued a Request for Proposals and retained Hillard Heintze to analyze the Forest Preserves Police Department and recommend best practices to: (a) maintain and strengthen police and community relations, (b) create a work culture that is inclusive and equitable to all people, and (c) support a diverse police force through recruitment, retention and promotion. The independent analysis found that the Forest Preserves Police Department has a ready, willing and able workforce and that officers understand, appreciate and take pride in their department’s mission to make the Forest Preserves a safe place. The consultants also report that permit holders and other stakeholders generally have positive impressions of Forest Preserves police officers. However, a number of actions are needed to improve recruitment and retention, update policies and procedures, and to improve communication across ranks. The final report recommends best practices and includes a work plan, timetable and cost estimates for implementing the best practices, as well as tools to measure progress toward those goals. These recommendations will build upon recent efforts by the Forest Preserves to enhance police and community relations by training members of the department on implicit bias, purchasing body-worn cameras for officers, and adopting the Ten Shared Principles developed by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP to guide the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
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