City officials back protesters’ rights, police accountability

Officials gather for first time since mid-March

Vermilion officials gathered June 8 for the first time since mid-March for City Council committee meetings at the Vermilion Municipal Complex, 687 Decatur St.. Anyone who attended the meeting was required to wear a face mask. During the Health and Safety Committee meeting, both Mayor Jim Forthofer and Vermilion police Chief Chris Hartung spoke of protesters’ right to free speech amid concerns from residents. Forthofer said intimate and peaceful vigils and protests against police brutality and racism have been held in the city for the past two weekends, which has sparked an increase in communication with residents. “In the past two weeks, I have had literally dozens of texts, calls, IMs (instant messages) and just about every other form of communication that you can think of telling me that I need to close the city down because of the potential of violence in the city because of the events that were going on,” he said. Forthofer said he has not and will not close the city down, supporting the right to speech from any side of the argument. The city, however, is intolerant of violence and the suppression of speech, he said. Forthofer said those arguing for the police force to be disbanded on a national level should look to Vermilion’s department as an example to base reform off of. He cited successes illustrated in the Vermilion Police Department’s 2019 report, made readily available to Council. “In that report, it observes that there was not one deployment of lethal or nonlethal force in the course of 2019,” Forthofer said. The department’s zerotolerance policy for unprofessionalism is something he is proud of, he said. Hartung said the death of George Floyd was inexcusable. Avoiding these deaths can be done with proper policies, training and accountability, he said. “If you have an officer slamming someone’s head into a car door, you have to get rid of them,” the chief said. “If you have somebody who’s not doing their job, you have to get rid of them.” When community gets involved, accountability is easier to maintain in a police department, Hartung said. “Accountability is also very much about community,” he said. “Make sure your cops are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Forthofer said he has asked Vermilion fire Chief Chris Stempowski to review the need for the daily fire siren test at 6 p.m., as he has received notice that the tradition of the siren may have ties to informing people of color to leave town.

“I’m not so sold on it,” Forthofer said of getting rid of the siren.

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL Vermilion City Council and city officials met in person for the first time since mid-March June 8for council’s committee meetings. Social distancing was practiced, and face masks were worn during the meeting.