Last Wednesday, September 2, 2015, a concerning incident took place on the City's Southwest side. A neighborhood police officer responding to an altercation between two groups of people was physically attacked by one of the individuals in the fight and verbally harassed by some others. Allegedly, the comments towards the police were very violent in nature.
 
Alders Matt Phair and Barbara McKinney, with the support of the Mayor’s Office, Neighborhood Resource Teams (NRTs), neighborhood residents and other community stakeholders, will be organizing a community conversation(s) to address and respond to this incident and other areas of mistrust by community members towards police and other civic leaders.
 
The conversation, or series of conversations, will be based on principles of restorative justice – inclusively working with those involved in the incident and the broader community to ensure accountability, repair harm, and promote community healing.  Phair and McKinney are working with outside facilitators and community stakeholders to set up a conversation format and guidelines as well as find an appropriate location.  The main priority of the event will be to provide an environment in which everyone (residents, police, elected official, etc.) feels safe to openly express themselves in a manner that is respectful and genuine. 
 
As dates, times and locations are agreed upon, that information will be shared with the public.