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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — The Sonya Massey Commission is not taking the credit for the U.S. Department of Justice opening an investigation into the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and the Sangamon County Dispatch, but they are happy that it’s happening.
“I think it’s important to go back that far in order to really capture some of the underlying issues,” Sunshine Clemons, co-president of Springfield Black Lives Matter and a member of the Sonya Massey Commission said. “I think you don’t go back far enough. We’re just going to have some surface resolutions and maybe not really see the full extent of issues that could be there.”
The Massey Commission is tasked with analyzing the County’s existing structure, process and policies to find areas for reform. The ultimate goal is to find and root out systemic issues that lead to death like Sonya Massey’s.
During the commission’s first meeting in October, the commission voted to ask both the DOJ and the ISP to conduct an investigation. There second meeting — which took place on Monday night, came days after the DOJ they would be following through.
“We see it as a validation of our work, whether or not it was in response to our request,” Commission Co-chair Dr. Jerry Kruse said.
In a letter to the county, DOJ officials requested years worth of data, office policies and records of cases where deputies either had to de escalate situations or deal with people who were suffering from various degrees of mental health issues. On top of that, the Department wants all records from the night Massey was killed. In the letter, the Department says Massey’s case “raises serious concerns” about the Office’s interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities. The county sent the letter to outlets on Friday, saying they fully intend to comply with the request.
The DOJ’s investigation will coincide with the Commission’s efforts. Commission members aren’t concerned that the DOJ report will take time to complete.
One of the co-chair’s of the commission believes that the commission could ultimately use the impending report to go even further than they originally could. The DOJ’s wide ranging requests of the county could give incomparable insight into the office, and Dr. Jerry Kruse wants to take advantage of that insight.
“We will study their report in great detail, and it may become part of part of our mission, of our agenda for sure,” Kruse said.
The Massey family also welcomed the investigation.
“I think we all expected it. We know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We’re here for justice for our cousin, like my cousins, you know, Malachi and similar his mother. And, you know, we know it’s going to take a long time,” Massey’s cousin Sontae Massey said after the Commission meeting.
In the meantime, the commission continued with their normal business. On Monday’s meeting, the commission voted to recommend that the county create a mental health board. The board would work to make mental health resources more accessible, while also working to make them more abundant. The Commission also voted in favor of a future referendum that could allow voters to give themselves recall power over the sheriff’s office. County Board Member Sam Cahnman presented the idea to the board. He tried to get this on the most recent ballot, but the idea was shut down before a vote due to procedural problems.
“I think it means a great deal because the county board chairman stated, you know, we need to listen to what the master commission says and that he’s, I think he truly is putting a lot of credence in what they recommended,” Cahnman said. “So I think hopefully this will garner the support of LA County Board Chairman VanMeter and a lot of the board members.”
The Commission’s next meeting will happen in December. In the meantime, the various subcommittees will meet to discuss possible changes in their areas.