CAIRO MAKES CHANGES IN POLICE OPERATION; 9-POINT PLAN PUT FORTH BY MAYOR WILSON

CAIRO, Ill. -- A new police commissioner, new police and fire board members, the founding of a citizens advisory panel, and the creation of an assistant police chief's position are among proposals included in a comprehensive, nine-point plan approved by the Cairo City Council.

The plan, which also includes a goal of a 50 percent minority police force by 1995, was introduced by Mayor James Wilson during a special council meeting Saturday.

Wilson discussed the proposals and introduced Councilman Bob Whitaker as the new police commissioner during a Monday press conference held at Cairo City Hall. Other officials at the conference were councilman Cordell McGoy, who is in charge of accounts and finances, and Police Chief Burl Pickett.

All of the new proposals were in reference to concerns with city law enforcement, said Wilson.

Other actions contained in the plan include:

A recommendation that two police officers be assigned per car during night patrol.

Requiring firearms training and an ongoing training program for officers.

Requiring all police officers to undergo training from the Police Training Institute (PTI).

Make a recruiting effort to bring the auxiliary force to 50 percent minority strength.

"We've had some recent events in the city which are disturbing," said Wilson. "We're not on a witch hunt, but we're suggesting some changes which we feel will improve the police department."

One of the events Wilson referred to was the Dec. 30 shooting of Roy Lee Jones of Hodges Park, Ill., by Cairo police officer John McDonald after Jones had struck McDonald and ran. McDonald, who has been charged with second-degree murder in the incident, allegedly fired at Jones 14 times, hitting him once.

"We see a problem in the shooting of Jones," said McGoy. "We have to make some improvements. Whitaker understands these problems. I think he will be a good police commissioner."

Whitaker, who met with police department members Monday morning prior to the press conference, said he discussed some of the problems in the department with officers and Pickett, who has been chief since July.

"Pickett is a veteran officer," said Whitaker. "I support him 100 percent. I stressed to the officers that if they had a complaint to take it to the chief; if their complaint is against the chief, bring it to me.

"We'll schedule meetings to discuss complaints," said Whitaker. He said he has asked three things of officers: to dress well, to be courteous, and to leave their weapons alone unless it's a life-threatening situation."

Following Whitaker's remarks, Wilson discussed his nine-point plan in more detail.

Wilson was the deciding vote in approving the plan Saturday, when he named Whitaker police commissioner. Whitaker replaces Councilman Darrell Hoppe, who has served as commissioner for more than eight years.

The vote was tied at 3-3, with black members of the council voting for the plan and white members voting against it.

"Race was not an issue in the Saturday vote," he said. "We have a lot of 3-3 votes on issues brought before this council. I've voted several times since I became mayor eight months ago.

"We feel that it will be in the best interests of the city to replace Hoppe as police commissioner," said Wilson. "We're also asking for resignations by the Police and Fire Board."

Wilson said the fire board members were "holdovers" from the previous administration and that he had not been "too pleased with the board." Current members are John Fischer, George Johnson and Norman Seavers. Two of the terms expire in April and a third term runs another two years.

Concerning a new minority assistant police chief, Wilson said that only a qualified minority applicant would be considered. "We want candidates from "outside the present force," he said. "This will offer fresh personnel and a fresh approach."

Wilson said he felt the 50 percent minority representation on the force could be accomplished over the next four years.

"We're not going to fire any officers," he said. "That's the reason we set the goal for 1995. We feel that in that time normal attrition will allow us to accomplish this goal."

Wilson said there was no limit on members for what he called a "blue ribbon panel" to advise city government.

"This panel will advise the council on positive steps the city can take in all areas of city government, and serve as a crisis prevention team," he said. "We're hoping for at least 20 members, but we won't limit it to that. We could have 25 members, even 30."

Wilson emphasized that the council's priorities "are very strong toward the police department. We want to see it improve."

McGoy said that more than $100,000 in lawsuits had been filed against the city in each of the past four years. "About 70 percent of those suits concerned the police department," he said. "If we could cut down the suits, we could use some of those funds to improve the police department."

Picket told the group that he had 12 officers on the force and that all but two had completed 400 hours of basic law enforcement training.

"I don't see anything wrong with the city's new plan," he said. "But this is not to say there is any blame or fault against Hoppe. He didn't do anything wrong. The council just wanted a change.

"We hope to initiate in-service training, and we're waiting now to get our two new officers into the PTI training session.