DOJ and Illinois sheriff agree to policing upgrades after 2024 Sonya Massey killing
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Justice and an Illinois sheriff's office announced that an agreement was reached resolving an investigation of race and disability discrimination in policing and dispatch services.
The inquiry was spurred by the death of Sonya Massey, 36, a Black woman who was shot and killed inside her home after she called 911 for help on July 6, 2024. Former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean P. Grayson was charged with first-degree murder in the case.
The killing of Massey sparked national outcry and widespread demonstrations over police brutality, prompting the Department of Justice to launch a federal probe. State and local officials also called for a review of the sheriff's office's hiring practices after it was revealed that Grayson had a history of complaints involving women.
While the Department of Justice found no instances of discriminatory practices, the agreement establishes "a framework for ongoing improvements to enhance transparency, accountability, and community trust," according to a news release from Sangamon County on Friday.
Under the agreement, the sheriff's office will "review and update policies, rules and procedures" with the state attorney's office. It also requires the sheriff's office, dispatch, and the county to make reports every six months to the Department of Justice about any complaints it receives.
Regarding any failure by the county or its offices to comply with the requirements of the agreement, the Department of Justice only said it would "attempt to resolve the issue(s) in good faith."
Sontae Massey, a cousin of Sonya Massey and speaking for the Massey family, said there was "an overwhelming sentiment in our community among a vast majority of individuals that this investigation has concluded too quickly, that the focus was too narrow, and that a (broader) overview would lead to a finding of discrimination."
The sheriff's office and other county entities would continue to be held "culpable for the circumstances that led to the murder of (Massey)," he added.
Probe looked into sheriff's office's compliance with Civil Rights Act, ADA
The initial letter from the Department of Justice to Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch, State's Attorney John Milhiser, and others at the county in mid-November raised "serious concerns about (the sheriff's office's) interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities," along with a host of practices and procedures.
According to the Department of Justice, its Civil Rights Division investigated the sheriff's office's and Sangamon County Dispatch's compliance with certain parts of the Civil Rights Act, nondiscrimination provisions of the Safe Streets Act, and parts of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Civil Rights Act and the Safe Streets Act collectively prohibit discrimination "on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion by recipients of federal financial assistance," such as the sheriff's office. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by public entities.
The agreement, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, reflects Sangamon County’s commitment to instituting reform and taking action that will help improve public safety and restore trust with the community in the road ahead.”
According to the Department of Justice, the state's attorney's office worked to ensure the sheriff's department has "the tools and training to conduct its policing activities in a nondiscriminatory manner and that the county and dispatch provide dispatch services in a nondiscriminatory manner."
Agreement includes improvements in mobile crisis response services
One of the key elements of the agreement is the enhancement of the county's existing mobile crisis response services.
Massey had been the subject of a mental health call in Springfield just hours before the fatal shooting. Massey talked to a behavioral health specialist during that call made by her family members. Other records indicated that while Massey didn't seek immediate help, she did go to a local hospital later on July 5 "to seek treatment of her mental state" after an alleged confrontation with her neighbor.
The improvements seek to deliver "more effective, immediate support for individuals in mental health crises, focusing on de-escalation and appropriate care rather than traditional law enforcement intervention," the county release said.
The sheriff's office and dispatch will also introduce additional, comprehensive training focusing on nondiscriminatory policing, de-escalation techniques, and effective responses to individuals with behavioral health disabilities.
The steps outlined in the agreement "will not only enhance transparency and accountability but also strengthen our relationship with the community," Crouch stated in the release.
Sontae Massey said the family remained "cautiously optimistic and will continue to monitor, follow and/or peacefully assemble to forward our efforts to reform the failures in policies that led us to this point."