Oak Lawn protests lead to strict decorum rules
Change comes after disruptions at police board
Oak Lawn officials hope specifying rules of conduct will prevent disruptions like the one that broke out at the village’s Fire and Police Commission earlier this month.
The commission approved rules to ensure “proper decorum,” at meetings that specifically prohibit “cheering, yelling, whistling, handclapping and foot stomping which disrupt, disturb or otherwise impede the orderly conduct” of the meeting.
The rules apply to all speakers and members of the audience, as well as the commission members.
“I do believe everyone has the right to speak,” Village Board member Alex Olejniczak said. “That is what our democracy is about. I do believe people have the right to protest. But I do not believe people have the right to use the type of behavior that was used at one of the police & fire commissioner meetings.”
People and groups, such as the Arab American Action Network and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, have held several demonstrations outside Oak Lawn Village Hall since a Bridgeview teenager was punched by Oak Lawn officers during an arrest July 27.
The 17-year-old fled when an officer stopped the car in which he was a passenger. Video was released showing after police found the teen, officers hit him while holding him on the ground. He was hospitalized with injuries after the arrest. Oak Lawn police Chief Daniel Vittorio said the officers were justified in using force because they feared the suspect was reaching for a weapon in the shoulder bag he was wearing.
Officers did find a pistol and ammunition in the bag, and the teen was charged, as a juvenile, with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.
One officer, Patrick O’Donnell, was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct. He pleaded not guilty in Cook County Circuit Court March 1.
At the Fire & Police Commission meeting that evening, some of the people who had protested police brutality and discrimination outside earlier, became angry during public comments when a member of the audience showed a video montage of police encounters in other cities that became deadly when someone shot at or attacked
an officer.
When people in the audience kept shouting, “Shut down the video” and swore at the proceedings, officials quickly adjourned the meeting, which was rescheduled for March 8.
Village Manager Thomas Phelan said, as he left the March 1 meeting, he had to “walk through a small gauntlet of protesters, mainly of whom were young girls screaming at me that I am a racist and white devil and hope you die in a car crash.” Phelan said he hopes the girls do not believe that, because they were smiling when they said it.
But the anger and verbal abuse from some audience members prompted Phelan to send an email to village residents suggesting they not attend the next meeting for their own safety.
“The intent was to tell people from Oak Lawn it is not a good idea to come here and engage the people who are here to disrupt, insult, throw accusations, threats, menacing behavior, all of which was caught on video,” Phelan said. “It’s not a political issue. It’s a safety issue.”
Olejniczak said, like Phelan, he has been “basically threatened” after a meeting.
Phelan said the vast majority of more than 100 communications he has received came from people saying simply they want law and order and they want people to respect the police.
Audience communication was better at the commission’s March 8 meeting, Phelan said, although one person, who was there to support the police, was removed due to his behavior.
“We don’t discriminate. We don’t tell people what they can or can’t say,” Phelan said. “But you can’t threaten people, you can’t scream vulgarities at people, you can’t race at people in a
menacing fashion. That is not going to be tolerated.”
In addition to prohibiting “profane, vulgar, inflammatory, or threatening language, or racial or ethnic slurs” from being directed at any board member, village official, village employee or person in the audience, the new rules also prohibits signs, flyers and banners in the meeting room.
Protesters have carried
signs reading “Convict O’Donnell” or “Fire O’Donnell” with a photo of the officer’s face into the board room.
The rules limit each speaker to three minutes and do not allow them give their time to another speaker. Public comment time will not exceed 40 minutes, unless the presiding officer extends the it with the consent of a majority of the
board. Anyone who talks beyond their three minutes or disregards any of the other rules will be barred from further participation and may be told to leave the meeting.
The rules were adopted by the Fire & Police Commission Board, but similar rules for conduct at the Village Board are included in the village code. People must sign in to speak during public comments and are limited to no more than three minutes each, with public comment allowed for 30 minutes unless the board extends it.
“Our meetings are governed by Robert’s Rules of Order and we have a long-established Public Comments section that was adopted 15 to 20 years ago, Phelan stated in an email.
Olejniczak said he is sorry calm discourse seems to have become obsolete, not just in Oak Lawn, but also in other communities.
“Whatever happened to you have an opinion, I have an opinion. If we disagree, we can respectfully disagree, but we don’t have to take it to the next level,” Olejniczak said. “I look forward to the time when that value comes back and people treat each other with respect because, as (Phelan) has said and as this board has said many times, when you stop respecting lawful authority you start to have major issues in your community.”
Officials from the Arab American Action Network did not return calls for comment on the rules.
The next Fire & Police Commission meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 5.