August 7th 2024.
The tragic death of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman killed by a police officer in July of 2024, has sparked a call for change from her family. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, they are pushing for a modification to an Illinois state law that currently allows police officers with questionable records to be hired by other departments.
Massey's father, James Wilburn, believes that if the Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today Act had been reformed, his daughter's death could have been prevented. This legislation, signed into law in 2021 by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, aimed to prevent decertified police officers from being employed by other departments in the state.
Previously, an officer could only be decertified if convicted of a felony or specific high-level misdemeanors. However, the updated law now considers various forms of misconduct, such as tampering with evidence or failing to assist a victim after using force, as grounds for decertification.
The officer responsible for Massey's death, Sean Grayson, had a concerning record that should have raised red flags for hiring departments. Before being hired by Sangamon County in 2023, he had already held six law enforcement jobs in just four years. He also had two drunk-driving convictions and was discharged from the U.S. Army for "serious misconduct."
One particular incident that stands out is when Grayson was reprimanded for disregarding a command to end a high-speed chase, which ultimately resulted in a deer being hit. Massey's father, James Wilburn, is now urging state Senator Doris Turner to take action and introduce a bill that would prevent officers from being hired after resigning from a previous department due to misconduct.
Wilburn has even suggested that the bill be named "The Sonya Massey Bill" in honor of his daughter. However, Senator Turner, who considers herself a family friend of the Masseys, acknowledges that the process is not as simple as it may seem. She explains that before proposing any new legislation, they must carefully examine the current laws in place.
The SAFE-T Act, which was implemented in 2022, includes a new process called discretionary decertification. This allows the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to investigate any complaints of misconduct made by citizens or other law enforcement agencies.
Unfortunately, before the tragic shooting, there was nothing on Grayson's record that would have resulted in an automatic decertification. Even since the provision of the SAFE-T Act, Chicago nonprofit Impact for Equity has found that no officers have faced discretionary decertification.
However, according to CNN, incidents like Massey's death could have been avoided. Grayson is just one example of what experts call "wandering officers" who move from one department to another after being fired, forced to resign, or even convicted of a crime. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has stated that this pattern should be a major red flag for hiring agencies.
In a statement, they emphasized the importance of thoroughly vetting potential police officers, especially those with a history of frequent job changes. These incidents only further highlight the need for change and reform within the police force.
As the families of Sonya Massey and D'Vontaye Mitchell, another victim of police brutality, continue to mourn their loved ones, it is crucial for our society to take action and address these issues. It is time for accountability and fairness to be at the forefront of law enforcement, and it starts with reforming outdated and flawed laws.
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