Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety And Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents and council raise safety concerns after Juneteenth event; council and police to coordinate planning
Summary
During public comment and councilmember remarks, speakers described fights and safety issues at recent Juneteenth celebrations and asked the mayor, police and event organizers to tighten perimeter control and increase on-site security at future events.
Public comment at the July 7 Kankakee City Council meeting included calls for improved safety at Juneteenth events after witnesses reported fights and crowd-control problems.
Dr. Walker (public commenter) recounted attending the Juneteenth celebration and relayed concerns she said came from veterans and corrections officers who observed groups of youths acting as "recon" and described fights at the event. She asked the mayor, the Juneteenth committee, the police department and the park district to coordinate to "tighten the perimeter" and consider sending unaccompanied minors home before dark.
Later in council-member comments, several aldermen praised the Juneteenth organizers for a successful event but said repeated incidents required changes. Alderman Malone Marshall and others said the city and police department have agreed to meet with event organizers to improve planning and on-site policing. The mayor said city staff and the police department had begun discussions and would coordinate planning for future events.
Ending: Councilmembers called for a proactive approach to event security, including possible increased officer presence, patrol cars or foot patrols during large community gatherings; specific operational changes will be coordinated between the police department, event organizers and city staff.
