Community Safety Project

The Village is launching an Alternative Response to Calls for Service Pilot Program this fall with the goal of enhancing overall community well-being and offering a compassionate alternative to emergency calls related to mental health. In 2024 the Village Board approved Phase 1 of the plan, which will focus on two critical components: Providing an unarmed response to low-risk calls and implementing a Community Care Navigation model.

Unarmed response to low-risk calls…Phase 1 introduces an unarmed response to low-risk calls through the employment of non-sworn Community Service Officers (CSOs). This approach addresses calls unrelated to mental health crises that don’t necessitate a traditional police response. By hiring three additional CSOs, the Village aims to handle calls related to issues such as property damage, minor thefts, motor vehicle accidents and falls occurring on public property more efficiently and effectively. The CSOs will be civilian members of the Police Department, trained to manage these specific situations without carrying firearms.

Community Care Navigation…The second component of Phase 1 involves the implementation of the Community Care Navigation model. This model will be supported by the Village hiring one program manager and two mental health clinicians. These professionals will provide essential follow-up care and connect community members to additional services after emergency interactions. This care model emphasizes continued support and linkage to services, addressing needs that may not be met through a conventional emergency response. Community Care Navigators will follow up with individuals and their families, offering a warm introduction to various community service providers. Their role also includes rapid response to direct calls to the Village related to unhoused individuals and traumatic community events.

The implementation of the Alternative Response to Calls for Service Pilot Program marks the culmination of extensive efforts to assess how the Village responds to emergency calls. This included community advocacy for reimagining public safety, state legislation such as the Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA), and insights from the BerryDunn Community Safety Study. Collaboration with internal and external public safety partners also shaped the proposed model, aligning with the Village Board’s goals.

History of the Communty Safety Project

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May of 2020, there was a push by the residents of Oak Park to examine the Village’s Police Department’s use-of-force polices, police training, technology (i.e. body cameras) and determine the best ways to improve how the police can support the Oak Park community.

On June 22, 2020, the Village Board passed a resolution in support of the Obama Foundation’s Pledge as part of a national effort to address police violence and systemic racism. The Village sponsored a series of community listening sessions on August 5, 2020 and August 6, 2020 to receive feedback regarding the Village’s Police Department.

A Request for Proposals for an independent assessment of policing, training, accountability and community engagement of the Oak Park Police Department was issued on October 5, 2020 and an Addendum was issued October 21, 2020. There were seven submissions and on July 12, 2021, two firms were invited to interview with the Village Board. On August 30, 2021, BerryDunn was chosen as the third-party consultant by the Village Board to help achieve the Board’s community safety goals.

In August 2021, BerryDunn began with data collection, preliminary interviews, site visits, community stakeholder engagements and data analysis. BerryDunn presented its Final Report to the Village Board on November 14, 2022.

Alternative Calls for Service Taskforce

Final Recommendations: Click here to read the taskforce's recommendations

Background: Oak Park Village Manager Kevin Jackson has established an Alternative Call Response Taskforce (ACRT) to continue to support the community safety project of Oak Park. The purpose of this taskforce is to bring to the table a wide range of experts, community members, and specialists to advise on an alternative call response model for Oak Park to specifically help individuals suffering from a mental health crisis.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: An alternative call response model for Oak Park must be grounded within diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). For the purpose of this taskforce, there will be three DEI principles that will help shape and support the development of the work.

Racial Equity: By centering racial equity, the taskforce understands that race with other marginalized identities must be centered in this process to address the disparities racialized persons experience.
Listening and Learning: The taskforce must commit to listening to one another, listening to community voices, and having an understanding that we all have much to learn from one another. No matter the professional background, education status, etc.
Innovation: When serving marginalized communities’ innovation is an essential DEI value to recognize that in order to address disparities will require creative solutions.

Governance

I. Structure

A. The Taskforce is not a “public body” within the meaning of the Open Meetings Act and has not been designated as such by statute, ordinance or resolution.

B. The Taskforce members are volunteers and appointed by the Village Manager.

C. The Taskforce is “advisory” in nature and does not take “actions” or have “deliberations” within the meaning of the Open Meetings Act.

D. There will be no secretary appointed to keep minutes of the meetings.

E. No agendas will be published and the meetings will be closed to the public.

F. Members are advised to forward any media inquiries to the Taskforce’s Staff Liaison.

II. Purpose

A. The Village Manager’s Alternative Calls for Service Taskforce is an internal committee whose sole function is to advise the Village Manager on matters pertaining to the most suitable alternative calls for service model for the Village of Oak Park.

III. Goals

A. Review and understand the “Essential Calls for Service Evaluation Report” drafted by Berry Dunn to determine if its recommendations are a viable alternative to Oak Park Police Department’s current response model.

B. Review and understand Oak Park Police Department’s current alternative calls for service response model.

C. Review and understand the different alternative calls for service models currently in use at various police departments across the country.

D. Make specific recommendations to the Village Manager regarding the best alternative calls for service model for the Village and the Oak Park Police Department.

Mental Health Taskforce Members

Co-Chairs:

Allison Davenport, MBA - Chief Executive Officer, Riveredge Hospital

Allison Davenport has been a passionate leader in the healthcare and hospital management industry for over 15 years. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Riveredge Hospital in Forest Park, the largest free-standing psychiatric facility in the state of Illinois. Davenport previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Brynn Marr Hospital in Jacksonville, NC. As co-chair of the taskforce, Allison is committed to strengthening our community mental health response and serving those in need of support with compassion and dignity. She and her husband are Oak Park residents.

Cheryl Potts - Executive Director, Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township

Cheryl Potts is the executive director of Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township where she oversees the funding of mental health and substance use providers. She has worked in the field of human services for nearly 25 years, beginning in HIV care and housing for the vulnerable and more recently promoting access to care for people living with mental health and substance use disorders. She has dedicated her professional life, and much of her personal life, to being a champion for those who are marginalized in the community. Before the Community Mental Health Board, Cheryl served as the executive director of AMITA Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance, was the executive director of The Kennedy Forum, and participated in numerous local and national committees aimed at eliminating social disparities of health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from DePaul University and a Masters’ of Business Administration from North Park University. She is also a person living with a mental health disorder.

Members:

Kevin Barnhart - Citizens Police Oversight Committee (CPOC)
Paula Baker - Community Member
Grace Martin - Community Member
Deacon Wiley Samuels - Community Member
Victoria Perisee-Johns - Community Member
Lynda Schueler - Housing Forward
Armando Smith - Housing Forward
Alan Taylor - Love With Courage
Carey Carlock - Mosaic Counseling Center
Kimberly Knake - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Shelly Lustrup - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
John Mayes - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Dr. Ushma Shah - Oak Park Elementary School District 97
Greg Johnson - Oak Park-River Forest School District 200
John Harris - Oak Park Homelessness Coalition
Robert Simmons - Oak Park Library
Gavin Morgan - Oak Park Township
Megan Traficano - Oak Park Township
Jan Arnold - Park District of Oak Park
Jerrard Walker - PCC Community Wellness Center
Jenny Doyle - Riveredge Hospital
Caroline Heskett - Rush Hospital
Dino Rumoro - Rush Hospital
Elaine Phillips - Thrive Counseling Center
Jenni Rook - Thrive Counseling Center
Sarah Wiemeyer - Thrive Counseling Center
Candice Martin - Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC)
Anita Pindiur - Way Back Inn
Brian Staunton - West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center

Mental Health Taskforce Meetings

Kickoff Session

November 14, 2022 - Introductory Kickoff meeting for Mental Health Taskforce members at Village Hall

Education Sessions

November 28, 2022 - Presentation on current Oak Park response, Thrive and CESSA Law overview

View Recording

December 12, 2022 - Presentation on BerryDunn's report on alternative call response

December 19, 2022 - Presentation from Oak Park Fire Department, Oak Park Police Department and Thrive Counseling on current response model

January 9, 2023 - Education Session - Presentations from Denver STAR program and West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center

January 23, 2023 - Education Session - Presentations from McHenry County, Mental Health Crisis Services for Youth - SAAS, and Oak Park Police Department's Crisis Intervention Training overview

Working Sessions

February 6, 2023 - Taskforce Working Session

February 13, 2023 - Taskforce Working Session

February 27, 2023 - Taskforce Working Session

March 20, 2023 - Taskforce Working Session

Public Engagement Sessions

March 7, 2023 - Public Engagement Session

March 16, 2023 - Public Engagement Session

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administration Building, 206 Madison St.
6-8 p.m.

Final Session

TBD - Taskforce Presentation to Village Manager

Resources

For more information or questions contact communitysafety@oak-park.us.

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