The findings in this assessment should be interpreted alongside context about the demographics of local residents, the demographics of sworn officers, and the department’s work toward racial equity. This section contains information on departmental initiatives related to equitable policing practices and police-community relations that was input directly by the department through a survey. Elgin Police Department submitted its responses to the context survey on October 30, 2020.
Elgin, IL 2021
DEPARTMENTAL CONTEXT
RESIDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
The population of Elgin, Illinois is 45% Latinx, 41% White, 6.2% Asian, 5.5% Black, 1.7% Multiple Racial Groups, and less than 0.05% Native. The total population of Elgin, Illinois is 112,497.
These city demographics were taken from Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2018 five-year estimates. The “Other” category, if applicable, matches the Census Bureau’s definition of “Other” racial group. See the Data Notes tab for information on how CPE defines racial groups.
Note: This assessment may not include some Census-defined racial groups (“Multiple Racial Groups” and/or “Other”) which make up a small share of the total resident population and are not used in our analyses of policing data (see the Data Notes tab for more information on how we analyze small racial groups). In February 2022, we updated our reporting to include all resident population data, including such smaller groups. The results of that change on this assessment’s findings was minimal, and therefore we did not update the data contained here.
OFFICER DEMOGRAPHICS
These demographics were provided by the department as of March 25, 2022.
ABOUT THIS ASSESSMENT
Elgin Police Department (EPD) joined CPE’s National Justice Database project in August 2019. EPD shared data with CPE in order to receive analyses intended to support community and law enforcement collaboration on data-informed efforts to enhance equity in public safety. This assessment analyzes use of force, vehicle stop, and pedestrian stop data from 2014-2019.
DEPARTMENT SUMMARY OF ITS KEY INITIATIVES
The Elgin Police Department (EPD) has recently updated its policies on stops, use of force, racial profiling, data collection, and data quality assurance. In addition, EPD has implemented new training programs, programs to elicit community input on department policies/practices, and programs to reduce use of force or promote equity or community trust.
DEPARTMENT SUMMARY OF ITS RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVES
- In 2016 the Elgin Police Department (EPD) began discussions on its response to resistance policy and the need to conduct a comprehensive review of the policy. The department examined the Police Executive Research Forum's (PERF) report on the Guiding Principles on Use of Force, specifically the 30 guiding principles, and made extensive changes based on PERF's recommendations. Policy changes were discussed with the department's Use of Force Committee and community members. The PERF report and policy changes served as the catalyst for the reduction in use of force incidents and the implementation of new concepts in the years to follow.
- To reduce use of force incidents, EPD sought to ensure officers refined their skill sets to effectively communicate and use de-escalation strategies with those that may be experiencing a mental health crisis or who are emotionally distressed. The department placed an emphasis on Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) over the past few years, with all officers receiving training. Officers are equipped with the use of de-escalation strategies when it is safe to do so. The department has also implemented fair and impartial policing training along with emotional intelligence training for all officers, pairing these concepts together for a broader philosophy.
- The department sought to explore more options to consider while interacting with those experiencing emotional distress. In 2018, a group of employees traveled to visit the Metropolitan Police Service at Scotland Yard and the New York Police Department. Throughout these exploratory trips, a common practice noted was the use of specialized teams and equipment paired with a less-lethal philosophy to bring a peaceful resolution to these incidents. NYPD's Emergency Services Unit was closely analyzed due to its national recognition. In 2019, the department formed the Emergency Services Detail (ESD), which responds to calls for service involving emotionally distressed persons.
- The department additionally recognized that a follow-up component was needed in addition to providing on-scene tools and resources such as CIT and ESD. The Collaborative Crisis Services Unit was launched in 2019 in an effort to provide follow-up on calls involving mental health, homelessness, and substance abuse. The unit consists of one sergeant, two detectives and three social workers, and operates on a co-response model.
- In 2020, six new community advisory boards were created in partnership with the police department and a full review of all department policies is underway. Police department members have discussed an array of topics with board members such as use of force, racial bias, de-escalation, CIT training, department procedures, etc. These discussions were meant as a baseline for board members to better understand the department. The boards will eventually determine their meeting format and areas of concern and meet on their own as board to discuss their agendas. Board members will then present their suggestions for improvement to police command staff.
DEPARTMENT SUMMARY OF ITS COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES
In an effort to conduct outreach to community members in Elgin, the Elgin Police Department (EPD) has developed a range of outreach methods and training to involve community stakeholders in the department’s reform efforts.
- City Council presentations highlighting the department's formation of the Emergency Services Detail and Collaborative Crisis Services Unit.
- Solicitation of feedback through a public survey which was completed in 2018 and 2020.
- Creation of six community advisory boards to accurately represent all areas in Elgin.
- Implementation of mandatory procedural justice training, implicit bias training, and CIT training for all officers, which has been relayed to City Council and community members.
- Chief Lalley hosts a local radio show every Friday to provide information on various topics.
- Crime statistics and trends are discussed monthly to all social media followers via a video called Lalley in the Fox Valley.
- EPD has a wide-reaching presence on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) with over 80,000 followers.
Finally, EPD is in the process of building an online transparency hub for all interested stakeholders to examine at their own convenience. The hub will not only include calls for services but will incorporate use of force data, employee complaints, historic crime data, community policing information, and shots fired data. The hub will serve as a completely transparent look into the workings of the department.
