1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:10,880 Well, they give me they gave me a concentrated 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:15,440 » massage that area >> and it felt better that day, but 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,600 » now >> and then I went to a doctor who gave me 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:26,000 shot >> it felt good for a day again. 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:31,400 » It's tough to find out where to put the shot. 6 00:00:27,039 --> 00:00:31,400 » Not anymore. You did that. 7 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,840 » You see Terry? >> I love it. 8 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:56,440 » I think we have as many police here as demonstrators. 9 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,920 No, 10 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,400 it's all good. 11 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,280 Okay, first 12 00:02:00,521 --> 00:02:02,541 » [clears throat] 13 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:11,520 » All right. Good evening everybody and welcome to the village of Oklahoma board 14 00:02:09,119 --> 00:02:16,879 of trustees regular meeting. This is the amended agenda and we are meeting at the 15 00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:21,760 Village Hall Auditorium, 9446 South Raymond Avenue. This is meeting number 16 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,599 2026-14. Of course, it's Tuesday, August 25th, 17 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:32,840 2:20, 2026, and it is 7:30 p.m. Roll call, 18 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,840 please. 19 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,760 » Mayor Border, >> present. Trusty Olanichek. 20 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,599 » Trusty Melo >> here. 21 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,200 » Trusty Stalker >> here. 22 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,720 » Trusty Warren >> here. 23 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,480 » Trusty Sack >> here. 24 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,879 » Trusty Penrook >> here. 25 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:56,720 » We have a quorum. Please join me in the pledge allegiance. Veterans may salute. 26 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:02,560 » I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the 27 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:09,000 republic for it stands. One nation under God indivisibley 28 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,000 and justice for all. 29 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,280 Amen. >> All right. Public comments. Madame 30 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,280 clerk. First, >> Fia. 31 00:03:24,959 --> 00:03:30,799 » Uh, good evening. Are you an Oklahoma resident? 32 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:36,000 » Good evening, Mr. Mayor. I um don't believe you recall who I am. Well, I do 33 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:40,239 recognize your face and I know I know of you, but 34 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,519 » I've been an Oakwan resident for about 30 years. 35 00:03:40,959 --> 00:03:43,599 » Thank you. >> My name is Fia Muhammad. 36 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,760 » Hi. >> The mother of Morad Kurtie. 37 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,720 » Okay. >> Who was struck and killed by Leanne 38 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,480 Cuzak >> June 5th. 39 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,480 » And I went to that wake. >> You did come to the wake. And I 40 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:58,000 appreciate your presence for that. I I >> appreciate your uh coming to pay your 41 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,959 respects. >> Thank you. 42 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:06,560 » Unfortunately, Mr. Mr. Mayor, I'm still here asking for Justin. 43 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:12,319 I'm hoping that uh you would help out with that. So, 44 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:15,920 I know that you don't want us here as much as we 45 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:21,680 don't want to be. This is unfortunate 46 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:25,840 and I'm here speaking in front of you all tonight 47 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:33,840 because I need answers and I need accountability. 48 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:38,639 For those of you who don't know, my son at the age of 20 years, 28 years 49 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:41,639 old was killed by a woman named Leanne Cuz 50 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:50,560 what happened on June 5th, 2023 was not an accident. It was a choice 51 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:54,960 that she decided when she drank and got behind the wheel that 52 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,960 she killed my son with that choice she made. 53 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:07,600 I will never see him or hear his voice again. 54 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:12,479 The police officers on scene that day obviously didn't think my son's life 55 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:18,479 mattered. She rire of alcohol 56 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:24,160 which the Oakan police officer smelled. He smelled it on her. He then asked her 57 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:28,000 if she had been drinking. And guess what? 58 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:31,000 She admitted that she had just left the bar. 59 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:40,800 Despite a confession from the the offender herself, they still didn't test 60 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:47,360 her nor detain her. How do you all expect me to make any 61 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:50,960 sense of it and justify their actions? How? 62 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:55,440 How? She admitted. They smelled it. She 63 00:05:53,360 --> 00:06:00,960 confessed that she just left the bar. my son is dead on the ground and they let 64 00:05:58,479 --> 00:06:06,240 her go without a test. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to to 65 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:14,319 know that if someone smells of alcohol and they strike and kill a pedestrian, 66 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:18,960 you take them in for testing force. I I'm assuming that your police officers 67 00:06:16,479 --> 00:06:22,960 are trained to do this kind of stuff. And if not, 68 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:28,039 I demand that someone be held accountable, perhaps further testing. 69 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:41,039 The police officers on scene that day should have done their job 70 00:06:38,319 --> 00:06:44,479 along with Detective Hollingsworth who needs to be held accountable. If it was 71 00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:48,479 one of your children, >> your 30 minutes are up. I will extend 72 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:53,120 you for another 30 seconds out of court. >> If it was one of your children, what 73 00:06:50,639 --> 00:06:59,360 would you do? What would you do if it was one of your children? 74 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:05,120 Would you give him a pat on the back or perhaps request a promotion? I don't 75 00:07:01,759 --> 00:07:09,199 think so. I'm going to ask you again. I'm going to ask you again and I'm 76 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:15,120 addressing all of you. If it was your son, 77 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:20,520 how would you feel? Let that sink in. How would you feel? 78 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,520 » Thank you, 79 00:07:26,060 --> 00:07:29,960 [applause] >> Bill. 80 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:38,440 Bill, I'm sorry I can't catch the last name. 81 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:47,360 » Thank you. You've been in my garden. 82 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:50,720 » I I remember. >> I'm here and I'm not going to assign 83 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:55,520 blame. I'm not going to call names. I don't do that. I was a union rep for 33 84 00:07:52,880 --> 00:08:00,560 years. I would never accuse anybody if I don't have evidence. So, I've heard a 85 00:07:58,479 --> 00:08:04,560 lot of people talking about racism. Does it exist in our society? Yes, it does. 86 00:08:02,639 --> 00:08:11,599 But am I going to accuse any individual officer here or elected official? No. 87 00:08:08,479 --> 00:08:16,879 Not unless I can prove it. And it's difficult to prove motivation speaking 88 00:08:13,599 --> 00:08:20,879 as a steward for 33 years and dealt with arbitrators, administrative law judges 89 00:08:18,639 --> 00:08:25,360 and other agencies, but 90 00:08:22,479 --> 00:08:30,800 there is a lot of disturbing things that have happened in the past few years. and 91 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:36,959 the fact that all three instances intersect at the Muslim resident, people 92 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:42,080 are going to draw conclusions. People are going to get angry 93 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:47,519 at the I was not at the last meeting. I saw video, but video doesn't tell the 94 00:08:43,839 --> 00:08:51,600 whole story. comment on that other than if the chairperson of the fire and 95 00:08:49,519 --> 00:08:55,279 police commission can't take being called a name, he should probably 96 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:59,279 consider resigning, possibly getting some help because he might have 97 00:08:56,399 --> 00:09:02,480 self-esteem issues. Um, 98 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:06,240 getting upset because someone calls you a name, that isn't a violation of the 99 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:11,200 Open Meetings Act and is not cause dismissal. If I made an overt or direct 100 00:09:08,959 --> 00:09:15,360 threat, that is definitely cause for dismissal. But if I call somebody an 101 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:22,160 or any other name, many of which I've been called in my job as a union 102 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:26,399 rep, you move on. Unless, of course, it's your boss and then maybe you have 103 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:31,839 to deal with a little bit. But my own personal opinion on this is people have 104 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:36,560 to be accountable. A couple times when we've been at 105 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:42,000 events, I've seen some officers, I'm not going to name, 106 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:46,160 get a little bit in the moment. At the June meeting, somebody that has 107 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:49,519 done this a couple times got in the moment and one of his officers at the 108 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:54,160 rear rank reached up, grabbed him, and pulled him back and said, "Back up." And 109 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:58,560 he stood in the back. And you could see him 110 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:01,920 calming down because he was a little bit in that 111 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:05,920 moment. And I understand that you're in a stressful situation, it's very 112 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:10,399 difficult. But when you're wearing a uniform and you have a weapon, you have 113 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:15,279 to have discipline. You have to have force discipline. Otherwise, you are not 114 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:19,360 a force. You are a mob. And I think that's something that has to be 115 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:23,519 addressed here because some people may not like it, but the Muslim and minority 116 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:26,800 population in Oakland is growing. Personally, I like it because I like 117 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:32,082 going to Little Palestine to get really good food and great coffee. That's it. 118 00:10:29,839 --> 00:10:34,102 Thank you, [applause] 119 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,120 » Yousef. 120 00:10:40,959 --> 00:10:47,920 » Hi. Are you an Oaklan resident? >> I'm not. In fact, I traveled all the way 121 00:10:44,959 --> 00:10:52,000 from Chicago to come here. Uh, and to echo the demands to demand justice for 122 00:10:50,399 --> 00:10:56,480 Kurtie. I came after a long day of school. Um, and I'm going to echo the 123 00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:02,880 sentiments of the community members here, uh, of the concern over concerns 124 00:10:59,519 --> 00:11:06,079 over police safety and brutality. Um, it was only three weeks ago that the 125 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:10,800 Oakland police have once again shown how violent and racist they are. While 126 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:14,399 communities like the one in Oaklan in the broader Chicago area have 127 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:19,760 experienced surge in anti-Arab hate crimes and experience experiences, Oakan 128 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:23,360 police continue to sink lower and lower in their despicable conduct. now 129 00:11:21,519 --> 00:11:28,399 assaulting a 14-year-old Arab-American minor. Many will call the Oakan police 130 00:11:26,079 --> 00:11:33,120 incompetent. While this is clearly true, incompetency can only go so far. What we 131 00:11:30,959 --> 00:11:36,720 are witnessing is a pattern of racism from the Oaklan Police Department. They 132 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:42,079 know what they are doing. You don't accidentally assault a 14-year-old child 133 00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:46,320 and arrest the mother. You don't dis accidentally disproportionately pull 134 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:51,040 over more black and brown drivers. The police department has shown that they 135 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:56,320 intentionally train hire and protect violent racists. Remember how the same 136 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:01,519 police department let Murad's Cury's killer walk away from the scene of the 137 00:11:58,959 --> 00:12:06,000 uh hit and run murder while there was still alcohol in the white driver's 138 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:11,440 bloodstream. And while Murad's body was on the pavement warm, she was sent home. 139 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:15,680 We will still we still have not received justice for this misconduct. 140 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,560 It should have been at this point that the department faced an accountability 141 00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:22,240 crisis. There should have been an account uh bit been accountability to 142 00:12:20,639 --> 00:12:26,560 address how this could have happened. But the city failed us. Now a 143 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:31,680 14-year-old Arab child has been assaulted by the same police department. 144 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:35,360 Will this board of trustees whose names preside over these criminal acts by 145 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:39,600 their police department in their appointed fire and police board stand 146 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:43,738 utterly while anti-Arab sentiment which is plaguing the nation is perpetuated by 147 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:47,680 their own police department? Will [clears throat] this board let a town 148 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:52,480 with a significant Arab population be subject to discrimination and violence? 149 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:55,839 Or will this body act and take the appropriate measures to reign in these 150 00:12:54,079 --> 00:13:00,320 races? Police accountability is necessary. It 151 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:04,800 is not only appropriate for this town or any other to have a police force that is 152 00:13:02,399 --> 00:13:08,800 so committed to anti-Arab sentiments that it is now emboldened enough to 153 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:13,120 assault children. The fact that this happened proves that they think they can 154 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:19,120 get away with it. It proves that once again you all need to hold your cops and 155 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:23,440 the appointed board accountable. I would like to end with echoing the 156 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:29,200 demands for the immediate firing Patrick O'Donnell, Mark Haulingwards 157 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:35,279 and Brandon Brandon Collins. We demand the immediate firing of Benjamin Towski 158 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:40,079 who allowed Lyon to go free after striking and ultimately killing Mad 159 00:13:36,959 --> 00:13:44,079 Curry. We demandwame Raul to do a full investigation of every single criminal 160 00:13:41,839 --> 00:13:50,279 act and violation committed by this bo by this board and the OP. Thank you. 161 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,279 » Thank you. 162 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,360 » Abdala, 163 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:03,600 » good evening. Are you an Oaklan resident? I was an Oakland resident for 164 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:08,560 most of my life and I've recently moved away. Unfortunately, I'm very thankful 165 00:14:05,839 --> 00:14:13,279 to be out of Oklahoma at this point. I no longer feel that this community is 166 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:17,920 what little veneer of welcoming that existed here. 167 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:23,440 » Sorry. What little veneer of welcoming that I felt or hoped for growing up here 168 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:27,440 in Oaklan has completely and it's just standing up here. I'm really struck 169 00:14:25,199 --> 00:14:32,959 because you all am not as acquainted with you as I am with uh your appointed 170 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:36,639 and fire board commission. Um I just was sitting in my seat and was aruck at the 171 00:14:34,959 --> 00:14:39,839 fact that you're all looking at this. That that is something that we have 172 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:44,399 grown accustomed to not expecting in this room. Um we come in here month 173 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:47,519 after month and I'm sure you've heard the narratives and I'm sure you've heard 174 00:14:45,839 --> 00:14:51,920 your appointees trying to spin the story to make it seem that really violent or 175 00:14:50,079 --> 00:14:55,519 that we are coming here raving at the mouth demanding that you change your 176 00:14:53,839 --> 00:14:58,959 ideology or that you see the world the way that we see it. And that is not at 177 00:14:57,279 --> 00:15:03,360 all the case. I am not here to convince you of my political opinions. I'm not 178 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:08,160 here to convince you of a stance. I am here to say that as a resident of Oakan, 179 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:12,079 former resident of Oklahoma. Um, similarly to what Bill said, who 180 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:15,040 others have said, there comes a responsibility with working with the 181 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:19,680 public that I feel that this police department has completely abandoned, not 182 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:23,360 even failed, but completely abandoned as a non-priority. 183 00:15:21,519 --> 00:15:28,000 The disrespect that has become so routine, the emboldening of your police 184 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:31,360 officers to act however they see fit in the moment. And the way that even the 185 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:35,360 police board that sits where you're sitting right now, the way they wave 186 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:39,279 their hand like emperors, get them out of the room, they forfeited their right. 187 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:42,720 And then a swarm of police officers descends on a 14-year-old. That is 188 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:46,079 unacceptable. That is absolutely You don't need to agree with me. You don't 189 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:50,240 need to see things the way I see things to know that that is not the village 190 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:55,360 that any of us want to be part of. I'm again very thankful to be out of. I do 191 00:15:52,959 --> 00:15:58,959 not have faith in this uh board. I do not have faith in any of you frankly 192 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:03,120 because you appointed them. These people have sat there and more or less spat in 193 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:08,160 our face month after month. And it's gotten so escalatory month after month 194 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:13,279 that now it's it's like they don't even really question it. And now after what 195 00:16:11,199 --> 00:16:16,320 happened on August 5th, instead of turning around and saying we went too 196 00:16:14,959 --> 00:16:20,800 far, we have let a culture of unaccountability go too far. We have led 197 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:25,120 our officers off the leash too far. We have invited misbehavior into this 198 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:29,759 department by showing that we accept it and allow it and will coddle it. In 199 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:33,519 doing that, it led to a 14-year-old getting brutalized in here. Instead of 200 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:39,519 turning around and saying, "We have gone too far. this township, this village, 201 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:44,560 this department have dug their heels in more and more, even releasing statements 202 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:49,440 where they pretend that they don't know the association of the people that 203 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:54,720 stepped up to try to protect that for. The idea similarly to what has been said 204 00:16:51,519 --> 00:16:58,720 before, your personal feelings do not come in front of the safety of any 205 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:02,639 member of our community, let alone a teenager. And if you whether it's the 206 00:17:01,199 --> 00:17:06,559 police officer, whether it's the police and fire commission, whether it's any of 207 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:09,839 you feel that you cannot hold your temper, that you cannot show restraint 208 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:16,280 in the >> time is up, sir. Thank you very much. 209 00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:16,280 » Then you should all 210 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:31,600 » good evening. Are you an Oakland resident? 211 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:37,039 No, I'm not. But Oaklan is an epicenter in my life. Um, a lot of my family was 212 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:41,360 born at Christ. A lot of my family has gone to Oakan Public High School. Um, 213 00:17:39,919 --> 00:17:47,120 where we are right now is about 10 minutes away from where I live now. And, 214 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:53,679 uh, it's a shame. Um, but I'm shamed to be here for this reason 215 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:59,919 as you are those who represent Oaklan. The surrounding suburbs are flourishing, 216 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:07,200 thriving. on their multiculturalism and also respect and love of thy neighbor. 217 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:14,400 But why is Oaklan being held back? There is a foundation in this village, 218 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:20,160 our village of racism. You might not see it because you are on the beneficial. 219 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:26,559 You benefit. Um, and it's not your fault, but it is your fault if we don't 220 00:18:22,799 --> 00:18:31,440 change it. you know we have to change it. Um it is also 221 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:37,919 going to go [clears throat] down in history. 222 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:44,480 Will you because who keeps us safe right we keep us safe. Will you guys be part 223 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:50,080 of that we or no? Will you let these cops just on the way someone's going to 224 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:56,960 the going to the hospital they fallen ill. Cops sees a skin color. Oh, let me 225 00:18:53,360 --> 00:19:01,760 stop him. Okay. You have a hospital down the street and your police force is not 226 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:06,720 making it any safer for those to seek or care at that hospital. 227 00:19:04,799 --> 00:19:12,080 Hospital is supposed to serve all people just like you are supposed to serve 228 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:15,440 those that the residents of Oaklan and not as a non-resident 229 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,440 telling you at least serve your residents. 230 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:23,360 And so with that though, you know, the pledge of allegiance ended for justice 231 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:28,559 for all, right? You heard that because you say it often every second Thursday 232 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:32,559 and four what? Third th fourth Thursday of the month. So let me just start with 233 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:37,520 the bill of rights. So you guys just know. Okay. 234 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:42,880 All men are by nature free and independent have certain inherent and 235 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:46,799 inalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 236 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:51,039 To secure these rights and the protection of property, governments are 237 00:19:48,799 --> 00:19:56,960 instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the 238 00:19:53,120 --> 00:20:02,960 govern consent of the governed. Okay. No person shall be deprived of 239 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:11,160 life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal 240 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:11,160 protection of the laws. 241 00:20:11,919 --> 00:20:16,720 Are are we registering that right? 242 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:22,720 Three, the free exercise and enjoyment of 243 00:20:20,799 --> 00:20:27,039 religious professionalism worship without discrimination shall forever be 244 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:31,760 guaranteed and no person shall be denied any civil or political right, privilege 245 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:37,039 or capacity on account of his religious opinions. 246 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:39,440 Freedom of speech. All persons may speak, write and publish freely. 247 00:20:38,799 --> 00:20:41,600 » Sir, your time >> being responsible for the abuse of that 248 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,919 liberty. >> Sir, your time is up. Thank 249 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:49,320 » you. Thank you. Follow the law. 250 00:20:54,880 --> 00:21:00,280 » Yara, am I pronouncing it? 251 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,919 » Good evening. Are you an Oaklan resident? 252 00:21:03,919 --> 00:21:10,240 » No. I am a 17-year-old youth from the suburbs of Chicago and I am here to tell 253 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:14,320 the mayor and the village board of Oaklan that you have a responsibility 254 00:21:11,919 --> 00:21:19,200 for the behavior of the police and fire commission board and the conduct of the 255 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:23,200 Oaklan Police Department. On August 5th, during the public comment portion of the 256 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:27,600 monthly Oakan and Fire Police Commission meeting, Jim Baker called up a 257 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:32,000 14-year-old Arab American, purposely mispronouncing his name in the process. 258 00:21:29,919 --> 00:21:36,000 When the teenager corrected him, Baker decided the child had forfeited his 259 00:21:33,679 --> 00:21:40,080 right to speak because he was being, and I quote, aggressive. I was present at 260 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,679 this meeting and I watched the boy turn around peacefully and begin walking away 261 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:46,880 from the microphone. Even though he was leaving on his own, he was surrounded by 262 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:51,200 multiple police officers and was being pushed around forcefully. Video evidence 263 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:55,200 shows this, and it also shows officers slamming the child in the counter and 264 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:59,600 placing him in a chokeold, a tactic that is illegal. Your cops essentially beat 265 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:03,120 up a child for saying a swear word. I would label this as really embarrassing 266 00:22:01,039 --> 00:22:07,919 for this board as you have the you have a responsibility to oversee what is 267 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:11,840 happening with your appointed officials. And if the fire and police commission 268 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:15,760 board is so unequipped to actually sit down in their seats and listen to the 269 00:22:13,679 --> 00:22:18,799 public during a public comment portion, maybe it is in your best interest to 270 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:24,000 advise them to not take the positions that they are in. I would also like to 271 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:27,600 raise that on that day when questioned if it was normal to put a child in a cho 272 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:31,840 in a choke [clears throat] hold your officer said of course it is. Is this a 273 00:22:29,919 --> 00:22:34,880 reputation you want to uphold? You have shown the youth in this community that 274 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:40,080 Oaklan police are violent and will resort to violence in every situation. 275 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:43,760 Not only did your cops abuse a child, but they also assaulted the child's 276 00:22:41,679 --> 00:22:48,480 mother as she was violently grabbed and her arm her arm was twisted and was 277 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:51,919 forced out of the room. This recent assault of another Arab child by 278 00:22:50,159 --> 00:22:56,080 multiple white officers again proved that there is a deep-seated culture of 279 00:22:53,679 --> 00:23:00,080 racism, violence, and brutality in the Oaklan Police Department. This isn't the 280 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:04,480 first time your cops abused a youth. Your cops brutally beat up 17-year-old 281 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:08,480 Hedi Abuatila after he was already in handcuffs to the point where he was 282 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:12,240 hospitalized and almost died. When does it stop? How many kids do you guys have 283 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:16,320 to beat up until it's enough? Again, this village board has the ability to do 284 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:22,426 something and the youth here are waiting for you to take a take a stand. 285 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,426 » Thank you very much. [applause] 286 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,080 » Gina, 287 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,480 » good evening. Are you an Oaklan resident? 288 00:23:34,799 --> 00:23:41,039 » Yes. I I am a youth member of this community 289 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:45,120 and I was there on Wednesday, August 5th when I witnessed the Oakland police 290 00:23:42,799 --> 00:23:50,159 officer extreme force against my peer who was a 14. 291 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:54,320 His so his socalled crime was correcting his name after I was mispronounced and 292 00:23:51,919 --> 00:23:59,360 using a swear word while doing in that moment. Fire and police commissioner Jim 293 00:23:56,559 --> 00:24:04,000 Baker said this child was forbidded his right to speak. Let's be clear. There's 294 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:08,000 a clear difference between maintaining order and silencing a member of the 295 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:11,760 public. This 14-year-old kid did not threaten anyone. He did not disrupt the 296 00:24:09,919 --> 00:24:16,080 meeting. He did not prevent another speaker from the speaking. All he did 297 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:19,760 was correct his own name. I am in high school, so I feel like I know a bit 298 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:23,360 about my rights in this meeting through my government classes. What I know for 299 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:27,600 sure is that the first amendment does not disappear when a person comes up to 300 00:24:25,919 --> 00:24:32,640 the microphone at a public meeting. And I know that from the Illinois's Open 301 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:37,360 Meetings Act. clearly protects the public's opportunity to address public 302 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:41,279 officials. He had three minutes to say what he wanted to say and Jim Baker 303 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:45,360 decided that he did not deserve the rest of his time. So, I'm here in this 304 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:50,480 meeting to ask the village why was this allowed to happen on on top of that he 305 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:54,799 was assaulted and put in a chokeold in front of everyone including the 306 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:58,400 community. Again, that was my peer and I witnessed him getting assaulted for his 307 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:03,279 right to free speech at a public meeting where officials are there to listen to 308 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:07,679 the public's concerns. We're coming here because members of our community already 309 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:13,200 have concerns that some officers have acted unjust unfairly and violated 310 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:17,600 members of our community and documented incidents. And then at a public meeting 311 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:21,919 where people came to voice these concerns, public police officers used 312 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:26,000 force against a 14-year-old kid and held him against in a chokeold. Regardless of 313 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:29,440 what words were exchanged, the officers should have never done that. How can 314 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:34,559 officers do that to a 14-year-old and face no consequences? When if a regular 315 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:38,880 auto man put another person in a chokeold, we all know how seriously that 316 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:43,520 would get be treated and how quickly charges would follow. His mother was 317 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:48,480 also subjected to the voice to the force when she attempted to stand up and 318 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:52,559 protect her son. Again, regardless of what words were exchanged, a 14-year-old 319 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:57,440 child should not be put in a chokeold. As a young person in this community, 320 00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:02,000 Oaklan Police Department's trainment of OBS and people of color really makes 321 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:05,840 us question whether we can truly feel safe and protected by the very officer 322 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:08,798 supposed to serve us. >> Thank you. [applause] 323 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:15,320 Dina. 324 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:25,600 » Hi. Are you an Oakland resident? >> Yes. 325 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:30,080 July 27, 2022. A 17-year-old Arab boy is restrained and beaten up almost to death 326 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:36,080 by three Oak. June 5th, 2023. A 28-year-old Arab man 327 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:40,559 is run over by a drunk white woman. This woman is then let go. scot-free without 328 00:26:38,159 --> 00:26:46,080 any serious charges. Again, the work of Oaklan Police Department. 329 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:49,840 August 5th, 2026. A 14-year-old boy says one word and an entire room of police 330 00:26:47,919 --> 00:26:54,559 officers suddenly slams a boy into a counter and puts him in a chokeold. By 331 00:26:52,159 --> 00:27:00,000 who? Oaklan Police Department. Are we all seeing a pattern? Because I am 332 00:26:57,039 --> 00:27:03,760 definitely. I'm seeing repeated attacks, disregard, and pure disrespect towards 333 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:07,200 the community that you're supposed to be protecting. Yet, we're left with a 334 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:10,960 corrupted police department that knows it won't face any consequences or 335 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:15,120 repercussions for the horrific actions against its own community. Be honest. 336 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:19,039 Your police department isn't made of public servants. It's made of corrupted 337 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:22,880 individuals who get off on the power they feel when they oppress their own 338 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:27,679 community. And the police and fire commission board are members are no 339 00:27:24,799 --> 00:27:31,520 different. And you I will name names. Just a couple weeks ago, Jim Baker's 340 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:35,840 anger issues led to my close friend being slammed by a handful of police 341 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:38,960 officers. All because he cussed. All because Baker's ego cracked when he 342 00:27:37,679 --> 00:27:43,440 couldn't pronounce my name's friend correct, my friend's name correctly. 343 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:47,600 Is this a so-called justice you stand beside? Are you proud of the board 344 00:27:45,279 --> 00:27:51,440 members that you appointed? Are you happy they're doing your dirty work? If 345 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:55,919 I threaten to cuss at you, will you send your officers to choke them as well? 346 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:58,960 Corruption is a nasty thing. It prevents your board members to take 347 00:27:57,039 --> 00:28:02,559 accountability for the actions, for the refusal to acknowledge the citizens 348 00:28:00,559 --> 00:28:06,880 they've harmed, to cleanse their police department of the filth that it 349 00:28:03,919 --> 00:28:11,360 contains. That's why demands you leash your police officers and discipline them 350 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:15,840 to actually do their job. Their first instinct shouldn't be to chase and tase 351 00:28:13,279 --> 00:28:19,760 a frail 17-year-old on suspicion of a crime. The community should be able to 352 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:23,200 attend a public meeting without being attacked. We shouldn't have to be 353 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:28,640 threatened by the officers that disguise as our protector. Accountability will 354 00:28:26,159 --> 00:28:32,799 not come from OOLPD own investigation because we all know messes won't clean 355 00:28:30,159 --> 00:28:37,200 themselves. Accountability will only be won when the OOLPD is cleaned up which 356 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:42,159 starts with the truth about why Cusack was allowed to come home after killing 357 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:46,799 Murad. And I want to end off by reiterating our demand towame Raul to do 358 00:28:44,799 --> 00:28:52,320 a full independent and comprehensive investigation to all into all the 359 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:55,440 violations of the rights of Arabs and people of color by the Oaklan Police 360 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,679 Department. Thank you. >> Thank you, 361 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:01,720 [applause] 362 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,760 » Suzanne. 363 00:29:05,679 --> 00:29:12,960 » Good evening, ma'am. Are you an Oakan resident? 364 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:18,559 I am not um I am a therapist who actually works with youth like the ones 365 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:23,279 that you are hearing from today who experience discrimination 366 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:27,640 and um help them work through how it compromises their mental health. 367 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:36,960 I am here today to express in the loudest terms possible how utterly 368 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:42,240 appalled I am with the Oaklan Police Department, the Village Board, and the 369 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:46,720 Police and Fire Commission. I attended the meeting three weeks ago and 370 00:29:45,039 --> 00:29:52,159 immediately felt the tension when I entered the boardroom. the intimidating 371 00:29:49,679 --> 00:29:57,840 and hostile environment coupled with systemic issues we have been addressing 372 00:29:54,559 --> 00:30:03,039 here for the for the past few years and the biased narratives you all hold 373 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:08,880 directly influences the abusive and violent behavior toward our community 374 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:13,440 members including the recent incident where one of our young people was 375 00:30:10,559 --> 00:30:18,720 slammed into a counter and placed in a chokeold. Instead of accommodating our 376 00:30:16,559 --> 00:30:24,399 youth who feel the need to participate in this process, especially as a means 377 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:31,679 to persevere through their experiences of discrimination and racism, your 378 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:37,360 bodies chose a violent response. This is not the first time they have 379 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:41,440 acted this way. In the past three years, we've witnessed board members insult 380 00:30:39,279 --> 00:30:46,799 community members, including Fadia, Murad Kurdi's mother, set arbitrary 381 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:51,120 rules and enforce them only against members of our community, such as 382 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:56,399 prohibiting the showing of the video to the board. Most horrifyingly, you place 383 00:30:54,480 --> 00:31:01,120 snipers snipers on top of buildings. Like, what 384 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:06,399 is that? while we are rallying outside. 385 00:31:04,159 --> 00:31:12,480 I mean, is isn't that ridiculous? Like absolutely absurd. 386 00:31:09,679 --> 00:31:18,399 Your actions reinforce the community's serious concerns regarding institutional 387 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:23,600 racism within the Oaklan Police Department. As an Arab mother, mental 388 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:28,000 health professional, and educator who counsels ArabAmerican youth like the 389 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:32,799 ones you're hearing from today, I see the heavy burden these young people 390 00:31:29,679 --> 00:31:37,039 carry as they navigate both typical adolescent challenges while 391 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:43,360 simultaneously enduring anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia, and police 392 00:31:39,679 --> 00:31:48,880 violence. I refuse to stand by. The behavior of Oaklan Police Department and 393 00:31:45,519 --> 00:31:53,200 this body is absolutely egregious. Clearly, we are not the ones who need 394 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:59,679 special monitoring. You all do. And just like you're 395 00:31:55,200 --> 00:32:04,399 watching us, we're watching all of you. We will not allow these violations to go 396 00:32:02,159 --> 00:32:09,440 unnotice and will continue to demand accountability for Hadi Murad and the 397 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:14,159 young person you attacked here three weeks ago. You are in the public 398 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:21,200 spotlight. and we will continue to show up and we deserve transparency. 399 00:32:18,399 --> 00:32:26,720 We are calling for a public scrutinies of these racist institutions 400 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:30,612 and a fundamental shift of how you all operate. 401 00:32:27,519 --> 00:32:32,632 » Thank you, ma'am. [applause] 402 00:32:35,279 --> 00:32:38,279 » Lamese, 403 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:43,840 » good evening. Are you an Oaklan resident? 404 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:48,399 » I live six minutes away from here. >> Good. 405 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:53,440 » I stand here today to express my absolute disgust with the Oaklan Police 406 00:32:51,279 --> 00:32:58,640 Department, the Police and Fire Commission, and the Village Board of 407 00:32:55,279 --> 00:33:04,399 Trustees and the mayor. Just under three weeks ago, the Oaklan Police viciously 408 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:08,559 assaulted a 14-year-old child after denying him his right to speak during 409 00:33:06,559 --> 00:33:13,120 public comment. All because the commission chair, Jim 410 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:18,960 Baker, was upset about the content of a speech. Baker falsely accused the child 411 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:24,240 of being aggressive and thereby forfeiting his right to speech to speak, 412 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:29,600 which I remind you is a violation of the First Amendment. A government official 413 00:33:27,039 --> 00:33:33,120 cannot refuse someone the right to speak because they don't like the content of 414 00:33:31,279 --> 00:33:36,799 their speech. This is an eighth grade civics. 415 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:40,799 But clearly the basics of the law are not strong points for the village and 416 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:45,360 its police department. Baker then called the police to remove 417 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:49,600 the child and they immediately escalated situation, 418 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:54,159 dragging him backwards, lifting him off the ground, slamming him into a counter 419 00:33:52,080 --> 00:34:00,720 in the back and then putting him in an illegal chokeo chokeold. Again, perhaps 420 00:33:57,919 --> 00:34:06,720 the the Oaklan Village and the Oaklan Police Department need to be given a law 421 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:12,320 101 lesson be- because choke holds are illegal under Illinois law. And so this 422 00:34:09,919 --> 00:34:18,000 child was illegally denied his right to speak, put in a chokeold, and viciously 423 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:23,760 assaulted because the Oaklan Fire and Police Commission did not like what he 424 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:29,599 said. The Oak Oaklan Police then sent six officers to the mother's home. six 425 00:34:26,639 --> 00:34:34,159 to harass the family. When her attorney did the courtesy to reach out to try to 426 00:34:31,679 --> 00:34:39,200 schedule a time to for her to voluntarily be processed, the police 427 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:42,879 went back and harassed her family once again. 428 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:46,879 This is nothing short of a thinly veiled attempt to scare the mother after 429 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:51,760 assaulting her child and tr to try to scare our community off. 430 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:56,720 In fact, while she was being processed, an Oak Lawn Police Department detective 431 00:34:54,560 --> 00:35:00,240 said to her attorney, "Well, you know, this has been going on for over three 432 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:06,000 years, and it's just getting to be too much." And there it is, the real reason 433 00:35:03,599 --> 00:35:11,520 exposed for harassing this mother, a cheap attempt to intimidate us. But 434 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:16,000 guess what? We won't be intimidated. We won't be silenced as long as justice 435 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:21,040 continues to be denied by the Oaklan Police Department and village to the 436 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:24,560 numerous families in our community who have had their rights denied and 437 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:28,560 trampled on by this village and its police. 438 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:34,014 The extreme use of force by this police department proves again that we have 439 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:38,240 said for years now, racism runs deep in [clears throat] Oak Lawn and if it's not 440 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:42,800 rooted out, then no one is safe and none of our children are safe. So, we will 441 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:47,119 continue to to demand that the attorney general's office launch an independent 442 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,400 investigation Oklahoma Police Department. 443 00:35:47,839 --> 00:35:50,400 » Thank you, ma'am. >> We will. 444 00:35:49,119 --> 00:35:53,640 » Thank you. >> Thank you. 445 00:35:54,974 --> 00:35:56,994 [applause] 446 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,040 » Mo, 447 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:04,800 » don't worry. I'm not a >> Good evening. Are you an Oaklan 448 00:36:04,240 --> 00:36:08,785 resident? >> No. 449 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,785 » Oh, good. [clears throat] 450 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:16,480 Good afternoon. I am a youth member of the I honestly had a feeling that 451 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:21,520 something like this would happen. This police department attacked a 14-year-old 452 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:27,760 kid, choked him, lifted him up, and injured his arm, neck, chest, and ankle. 453 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:31,920 The police and the board members that day had so much pride after a minor 454 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:36,480 called them out for mispronouncing the easiest name in the room. The result of 455 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:42,480 that pride was the removal of the 14-year-old kid by chokeold. 456 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:47,119 And at the end, the police department was exposed once more [clears throat] 457 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:51,440 for their crimes against Arabs in the community. Not only the crimes against 458 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:56,160 the Arabs, but we know the response of your officers. When a child is in their 459 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:58,960 presence, they get assaulted. What kind of department is this? The 460 00:36:57,855 --> 00:37:04,000 [clears throat] officers beat a 17-year-old kid nearly to death. And 461 00:37:01,599 --> 00:37:09,599 those three same cops are happily living their life. No charges, no 462 00:37:06,079 --> 00:37:14,000 accountability, nothing. On the mor case, [clears throat and snorts] 463 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:18,160 your officers let a drunk lady run over a man and let her go off with a slap on 464 00:37:16,079 --> 00:37:23,359 the wrist. Like seriously, is a life worth $750 nowadays? And then your 465 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:27,680 officers put their hands on a minor once more after he said something that the 466 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:31,760 board didn't like. Even the mother of the minor was also attacked. They 467 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:36,400 violently grabbed her arm and twisted it. They then forced her out of the room 468 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:42,240 as they did with many others. Then Oaklan police proceeded to file bogus 469 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:46,400 charges against the parent to pay against the parents to pay them against 470 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:51,280 the parents to pay themsel at the as the victim. We we have been showing up year 471 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:55,359 after year to demand justice for our community. We are peaceful in these 472 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:59,359 meetings. Even when we do disrupt, it is still peaceful. The fire and police 473 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:04,400 board you appointed escalates the situation. Never have I ever witnessed a 474 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:08,480 department more ill equipped in handling than a situation. 475 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:12,480 I was there the day the assault happened. If you think if you think that 476 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:16,720 those officers put fear in our community, you thought wrong. In fact, 477 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:21,751 we will keep showing up because we know we keep us safe, not the cops. 478 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,751 » Thank you. [applause] 479 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:29,240 Nadia, 480 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:34,960 » good evening. Nadia, are you an Oklahoma president? 481 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:38,320 » Uh, I live super close by. >> Okay, good. 482 00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:45,000 » I'm going to start off with quoting Illinois law under 720 ILCS 57-5.5. 483 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:59,119 It reads, "A peace officer or any other person acting under the color of law 484 00:38:55,119 --> 00:39:06,480 shall not use a chokehold or restraint above the shoulders with with risk of 485 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:14,400 asphix asphixiation in the performance of his or her duties 486 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:20,400 unless deadly force is justified under this article. 487 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:25,200 August 5th, 14-year-old ArabAmerican stood up during the public comment 488 00:39:23,119 --> 00:39:30,880 portion of the monthly Oaklan Police and Fire Commission board meeting. Um, the 489 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:38,800 same microphone that I am speaking in, corrected his name after Commissioner 490 00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:44,240 Chair Jim Baker mispronounced it. And of course, that 14-year-old, 491 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:50,800 as any youth in the community might use language, called him a jackass. 492 00:39:47,839 --> 00:39:57,200 20 seconds later, genuinely 20 seconds after that happened, we witnessed the 493 00:39:53,680 --> 00:40:03,920 child being grabbed by multiple officers in a circle right here in the middle of 494 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:10,640 the room. He then was lifted up, slammed down on that counter, 495 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:16,320 and then we saw him placed in a chokeold before being pushed out of the room and 496 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:22,640 forced to exit down the stairs. In all honesty, in that moment and right 497 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:28,079 now, I am questioning what it takes to be on not only the police and fire board 498 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:33,119 commissioner meeting, but also an officer in Oaklan. Because if that's the 499 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:39,040 response that you give the community that these officers have been giving the 500 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:42,880 community years after years genuinely, what does it take to be an officer? What 501 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:47,440 does it take to sit on a board and demand that people that are speaking in 502 00:40:45,839 --> 00:40:53,079 public comments? I don't like what they say and I I'm going to kick all all of 503 00:40:49,599 --> 00:40:53,079 them out of the room. 504 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:59,520 On the weekend following the assault of the teenager, six Oaklan Police 505 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:03,599 Department cops showed up to the family's home in an attempt to 506 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:08,000 intimidate and arrest the mother. In addition, cops have targeted a staff 507 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:13,760 organizer at the ArabAmerican Action Network, leaving a note for them at a 508 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:18,640 residence in Oaklan and even harassed a teacher who had attended the police 509 00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:26,720 board meetings in which the teenager was assaulted, egregoriously showing up at a 510 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:30,640 Chicago school to ask to speak to them. The assault of a minor comes five years 511 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:36,319 about five years after the assault of Hadi, a 17-year-old Arab-American teen 512 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:39,760 who was restrained then beaten by three Oaklan officers by the name of Patrick 513 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:45,400 O'Donnell, Mark Collingsworth, and Brandon Cullen. 514 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:45,400 » Your time is up. Thank you, 515 00:41:49,988 --> 00:41:53,720 [applause] >> Barry. 516 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:04,960 Good [clears throat] evening. Protocol, are you an Oakan resident? 517 00:42:02,079 --> 00:42:09,280 » I am not an Oaklan resident. >> But the decisions made in this city, 518 00:42:07,359 --> 00:42:14,319 especially pertaining to the police brutality and double standards regarding 519 00:42:11,599 --> 00:42:19,280 the killing of Murad Kurie has ripple effects on minority groups all over 520 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:24,319 Illinois. I am here demanding a full investigation of the actions of police 521 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:29,119 following the death of Marad Kurie. The officers allowed the individual who hit 522 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:34,800 and killed him, a white woman named Leanne Cusack, go free with a traffic 523 00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:40,560 ticket after he confessed to drinking and driving. May I remind you that the 524 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:45,280 officers smelled alcohol on Leanne Cusac. This incident along with the 525 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:51,040 blatant lack of accountability and consequences for the police officers who 526 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:55,680 let Leanne tra Leanne Kusac go without so much as a traffic ticket highlight 527 00:42:53,200 --> 00:43:00,640 the corruption innate in the Oaklan Police Department. 528 00:42:57,839 --> 00:43:05,839 Morad Cert's killer is free because of the actions of an officer from your 529 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:11,280 department that you appointed. the same department that assaulted a 14-year-old 530 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:18,880 Arab American who was just coming up here to express his First Amendment 531 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:25,920 right and correct his name, a name that um Jim Baker purposefully mispronounced 532 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:30,640 and assaulted his mother and sent six officers 533 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:35,359 again from the department that you appointed 534 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:42,000 to his mother's home to intimidate and harass her. The officers responsible 535 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:45,760 need to be investigated fully and independently like the violent criminals 536 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:48,920 are. Thank you. >> Thank you. 537 00:43:53,839 --> 00:43:56,839 » Nick, 538 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:03,760 » good evening. Nick, are you an Oaklan resident? 539 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:07,680 » I have to answer that question with a question. Would you take the honor of 540 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:12,319 answering Fedia's question of what you would do in her position? 541 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:15,119 » This is public comments. It's not a question and answer. 542 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:17,520 » If this isn't a question and answer, I have no reason to answer your question. 543 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:20,160 You can have Oakan. >> You don't have to answer it, sir. I 544 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:25,200 » You can have Oakan police come up to my house the same way they have 545 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:28,560 » protocol protocol. Ask their residents. You don't have to answer, sir. 546 00:44:26,319 --> 00:44:32,960 » Appreciate it. If you you can ask Chief Vtorio, who's the first time I've seen 547 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:36,800 him since Hadi was beaten >> in public, or any of the cops to come 548 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:42,480 find my address. They they know plenty about us. 549 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:48,319 To start, I've come here today like many others to demand justice, not for one 550 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:50,560 person, not for two people, for three people. 551 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:59,680 In just as almost just as many years, three people from our community have 552 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:04,319 seen the injustice of the police department. 553 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:09,119 And everyone on this board of trustees has a responsibility. 554 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:13,200 You play a role in everything that has happened since the beating of Hadi 555 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:18,079 Abata. You play a role by having a board for 556 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:24,079 police and the police and fire commission board that you appoint 557 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:29,280 that have a responsibility and the ability to report to you guys at least 558 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:34,240 once a year a recommendation on what actions can take place to quote unquote 559 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:39,920 better the police department. You have a responsibility 560 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:44,000 for a for a chief who won't even who never even looked Fadia in the eye after 561 00:45:41,599 --> 00:45:48,000 her son was murdered. And we're going to call it what it is. It was a murder. It 562 00:45:45,839 --> 00:45:54,240 wasn't a failure to reduce speed. It wasn't worth a $750 ticket. It took 563 00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:58,240 Chief Ptorio's police and every single cop in his department 564 00:45:56,720 --> 00:46:02,960 who played a role in those investigations in beating a child and 565 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:09,040 putting him into a concussion, in allowing a murderer to get away and not 566 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:12,640 get a blood draw. That comes from your responsibility, too. your 567 00:46:11,119 --> 00:46:16,960 responsibilities to the people of this village. Whether or not they are in this 568 00:46:15,359 --> 00:46:20,240 village and live in this village, whether they are visiting this village, 569 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:23,359 whether they're in coming to visit their dying mother in the hospital, whether 570 00:46:22,079 --> 00:46:27,119 they're coming to visit their son, whether they go to school here or not, 571 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:33,359 you have a responsibility to the people within this jurisdiction to take action. 572 00:46:29,839 --> 00:46:39,520 You have a responsibility to make clear that when a child is put in a chokeold, 573 00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:45,040 an independent investigation is called on. We've been calling Illinois Attorney 574 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:51,119 General Rowell to investigate Oaklan's police department. You too, as the board 575 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:54,640 of trustees can do us that favor and call for that investigation the same way 576 00:46:53,119 --> 00:46:58,960 we've been demanding from the police and fire commission who continue to ignore 577 00:46:56,400 --> 00:47:02,480 us. It's been three years and there have been at least three opportunities unless 578 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:06,240 you the village president and board of trustees choose to ask them for a 579 00:47:04,400 --> 00:47:09,839 recommendation on this issue. They have that power to do that and they've 580 00:47:07,359 --> 00:47:14,560 ignored us. You have the power to do it. Will you ignore us? That's a question I 581 00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:17,440 want to ask. You're not going to answer in the same way I'm not going to answer 582 00:47:15,839 --> 00:47:21,680 you from where I whether or not I'm a resident. [clears throat] 583 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:25,520 But to make it clear, we have continuously 584 00:47:23,359 --> 00:47:30,800 been at these meetings. And for the woman who was taken into custody and 585 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:35,520 charged to be told by the same pigs that are in this room, by the leadership of 586 00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:38,880 Chief Vtorio, who won't even have the courage to even face the police board 587 00:47:37,280 --> 00:47:41,760 when giving proposals to hire people. >> Your time is up, sir. Thank you. 588 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:44,960 » I did not hear it ring. >> He heard pe He won't even show his face. 589 00:47:43,839 --> 00:47:47,680 » Your three minutes are up, sir. >> To have to face accountability. Your 590 00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:49,599 three minutes are up >> and you won't even take any action on 591 00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:54,359 it, sir. >> Your three minutes are up. 592 00:47:50,560 --> 00:47:54,359 » Mark is the next speaker. 593 00:47:55,483 --> 00:47:57,503 [applause] 594 00:47:59,839 --> 00:48:06,319 » Good evening, sir. Are you an Oakan resident? 595 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:11,920 » No, but the stench of this police department reaches the Blue Island where 596 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:17,119 I live. For decades, 597 00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:24,520 this village has had a reputation well-earned for having violent, racist 598 00:48:20,079 --> 00:48:24,520 thugs as police officers. 599 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:33,920 For decades, this has been going. And all of you are in a position to put 600 00:48:30,079 --> 00:48:38,480 an end to it. All of you, each one of you is responsible to put an end to 601 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:43,599 this. You know, we've inherited this culture 602 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:47,839 of racism and white supremacy, but we can take action to do something about 603 00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:53,119 it. And you folks are in a position to do that here in Oaklan. 604 00:48:50,240 --> 00:48:59,839 Your police officers are violent, racist thugs. They beat Hottie up so bad he 605 00:48:57,359 --> 00:49:03,480 ended up in the hospital. That was just a few years ago. 606 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:12,720 Then on top of that, when somebody runs down Marad Kurie, you let the man go. 607 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:17,440 You let the woman go. So when people come to these village 608 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:24,240 meetings to protest, to call for justice, you're you people ignore them 609 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:28,640 and brutalize them. All of these meetings end up in cops shoving people 610 00:49:26,720 --> 00:49:34,240 around. I'm tired of this. Also, when people 611 00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:37,520 show up for meetings, they're searched. They're wandered down with a metal 612 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:42,400 detector. Like there's some kind of terrorists or 613 00:49:39,359 --> 00:49:46,559 some militia come to kill people. That's ridiculous. These are members of the 614 00:49:44,240 --> 00:49:52,640 public coming to a public meeting. That is just incredibly disgraceful. 615 00:49:49,359 --> 00:49:58,240 And then last meeting we had here, it went way over the top where people the 616 00:49:56,240 --> 00:50:04,000 the chairman told people they weren't allowed to speak during public comment. 617 00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:08,720 That is so ridiculous, so disgraceful, so undemocratic. 618 00:50:06,559 --> 00:50:12,720 You folks are responsible for fixing this And you better get ready and 619 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:15,920 you better get on it because it's your responsibility. 620 00:50:14,999 --> 00:50:19,160 [applause] >> Thank you. 621 00:50:20,319 --> 00:50:23,319 Alec. 622 00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:28,520 Alec. 623 00:50:33,920 --> 00:50:38,000 » Good evening, Alex. Are you an Oakan resident? 624 00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:39,839 » No, I'm not, but I live on the southwest side of Chicago. 625 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:43,839 » Thank you. >> And I do have a lot of people in Oaklan. 626 00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:48,079 A lot of people that I love, a lot of people that I grew up with and did spend 627 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:51,839 a lot of my youth out here in the Uh, I just want to say tonight that I've 628 00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:55,839 been coming here to the police and fire commission meetings for three years. Uh, 629 00:50:54,559 --> 00:51:01,000 first demanding justice for Hedi Abotella who was brutalized by the 630 00:50:57,599 --> 00:51:01,000 Oaklan police. 631 00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:04,040 Absolutely 632 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:14,400 unethical. any of the things that the Oaklan police do to Arab and minority 633 00:51:10,319 --> 00:51:17,520 communities in Oaklan. Um it was just absolutely outrageous that that was the 634 00:51:15,839 --> 00:51:22,880 first thing that happened. A year later, Marad Kurtie being 635 00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:26,480 murdered by a drunk driver and receiving no justice, no 636 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:31,440 acknowledgement from the commission that's tasked with public safety in 637 00:51:28,640 --> 00:51:36,000 Oaklan, disrespecting the mother of Morad, disrespecting the community than 638 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:40,319 escalating their attacks against the people that come here using their 639 00:51:37,359 --> 00:51:45,520 democratic rights, including myself. I am a journalist. I am a documentarian. 640 00:51:43,200 --> 00:51:50,160 and your police department has thrown me out of this room for doing nothing but 641 00:51:47,760 --> 00:51:53,920 exercising my constitutional rights to document what they are doing to people 642 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:58,319 that are here today in the way they have brutalized teenagers and other people in 643 00:51:55,760 --> 00:52:01,760 this. So, the fact that they don't know what the law is and they're tasked with 644 00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:06,079 law enforcement makes me think that Oaklan is not safe for anyone. And as a 645 00:52:04,079 --> 00:52:10,880 person of color and someone that works out here on the south side around Cook 646 00:52:08,640 --> 00:52:14,319 County throughout Chicago, it's known that this is not safe for people that 647 00:52:12,480 --> 00:52:17,520 look like me. People that might be driving with a broken out tail light. 648 00:52:16,160 --> 00:52:21,200 People that might just be trying to go home from work and get hit by a drunk 649 00:52:19,119 --> 00:52:27,440 driver. People that might get brutalized by the police in a pretextual stop. So 650 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:32,559 this is why you need to on your own as the village, you need to put a look into 651 00:52:30,640 --> 00:52:36,079 your police department. You need to look at the fire commission that's supposed 652 00:52:34,079 --> 00:52:39,680 to be hiring these police officers and putting in discipline and you need to 653 00:52:38,000 --> 00:52:44,240 remove them. And if you care about public safety and you care about your 654 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:47,680 police, clean it up because you got a lot of racists there. You got a lot of 655 00:52:46,319 --> 00:52:51,040 people that don't look like me, that don't look like all the people in this 656 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:54,640 room out there doing whatever they want without accountability. 657 00:52:53,040 --> 00:52:58,079 So we want justice from Rod. We want justice for Hattie. We don't want to see 658 00:52:56,400 --> 00:53:02,960 any other teenagers. We don't want to see any other people being choke, 659 00:53:00,240 --> 00:53:08,631 slammed, and violated by your police on your taxpayers dimes. That's all I got. 660 00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:08,631 Thank you. [applause] 661 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:14,280 » Ra. 662 00:53:15,520 --> 00:53:20,800 » Hi, Natty. Are you a Oakan resident? >> No, I'm not. I'm a resident of Orland 663 00:53:20,319 --> 00:53:24,240 Park. >> All right. 664 00:53:22,079 --> 00:53:28,319 After four years of consistent community presence at the police and fireboard 665 00:53:26,319 --> 00:53:33,839 meetings, we continue to witness and experience firsthand OLPD's abuse and 666 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:38,240 violent nature against our community. Police officers lock the front doors as 667 00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:42,319 soon as it hits 5:00 p.m. and unlock them only minutes before the meeting 668 00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:47,040 start time. We are forced to stand in file line in order to go through a 669 00:53:45,040 --> 00:53:52,319 security process where elders and minors are wanted and patted down. a process 670 00:53:49,760 --> 00:53:57,040 implemented only after our community started showing up to public meetings. 671 00:53:54,960 --> 00:54:00,800 The board on multiple occasions has closed the meeting and ended public 672 00:53:58,720 --> 00:54:05,040 comment without allowing those listened to speak even if they have not 673 00:54:02,559 --> 00:54:08,720 disrupted. The board has policed removed community members based on the content 674 00:54:06,640 --> 00:54:13,200 of their speeches, violating our right to free speech or even targeting and 675 00:54:11,119 --> 00:54:16,720 removing community members without due justification. 676 00:54:14,720 --> 00:54:20,720 We have been disrespected, mocked, taunted, and laughed at with 677 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:25,280 inappropriate remarks by the entire board. It's not just the current chair. 678 00:54:23,599 --> 00:54:30,000 It's also the former chair, Roland, who's also guilty of this. 679 00:54:28,240 --> 00:54:34,000 By the entire board. And we have been violently handled as cops aggressively 680 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:38,559 put their hands on us as they quite literally throw us out when we exercise 681 00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:44,559 our right to free speech and demand justice often resulting in physical 682 00:54:41,040 --> 00:54:50,400 bruising and marks and or mental and emotional harm. You cannot expect an 683 00:54:48,079 --> 00:54:55,599 entire community to stay silent and give zero response when police beat a 684 00:54:52,960 --> 00:55:00,160 17-year-old Arab-American boy named Hadi almost to death and then a year later 685 00:54:57,760 --> 00:55:06,079 allow a white woman named Leanne Cust to hit and kill a 28-year-old Arab-American 686 00:55:03,119 --> 00:55:11,119 man named Murad Kurie and then go home without following proper pro protocol or 687 00:55:08,880 --> 00:55:16,319 law after she admits to drinking before getting behind the wheel. This police 688 00:55:13,599 --> 00:55:21,680 department has a horrific violence and racism problem. At the last fire and 689 00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:26,079 police board meeting, officers grabbed a 14-year-old Arab child, slammed him 690 00:55:24,079 --> 00:55:32,160 against a a counter, and choked him out of the room. This is not only absolutely 691 00:55:29,359 --> 00:55:36,079 horrific, it is unacceptable that this has to be unacceptable by the board 692 00:55:33,760 --> 00:55:40,160 here. This is something that the board here has to state that this is 693 00:55:37,680 --> 00:55:44,960 unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the mayor 694 00:55:42,640 --> 00:55:50,640 and the entire village board for the nonsensical sick behavior and actions of 695 00:55:48,000 --> 00:55:56,079 both the police and fire commission and also Oaklan Police Department. It is 696 00:55:52,799 --> 00:56:00,480 your responsibility to act. Mayor, you've given your sympathy once before, 697 00:55:58,400 --> 00:56:05,680 but will you and your board actually do something about this? We do not want 698 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:09,760 sympathy. We want justice for our community. It is your police who 699 00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:14,960 violently assaulted a 14-year-old child while he was exercising his right to 700 00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:19,920 free speech. Your police officers act with imputiny and commit atrocious 701 00:56:17,599 --> 00:56:24,640 crimes because they know that they will be protected. By protecting them, you 702 00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:30,640 are normalizing violence as acceptable behavior in order to uphold OOLPD's 703 00:56:27,680 --> 00:56:35,160 racist system that only harms us. >> Thank you. Your time is up. Thank you. 704 00:56:39,359 --> 00:56:42,359 Muhammad, 705 00:56:43,040 --> 00:56:48,160 » good evening, Muhammad. Are you an Oakland resident? 706 00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:54,400 » Good evening. >> Good evening. 707 00:56:51,040 --> 00:56:57,359 » How interesting to be here again. Uh, you know, I have a long memory. I've 708 00:56:55,680 --> 00:57:02,400 been coming here for a few years to every single police fire commission 709 00:56:59,520 --> 00:57:07,920 board meeting. I also came to the first village board meeting in which uh 710 00:57:05,599 --> 00:57:14,079 yourself [snorts] and the other trustees I assume organized a bunch of supporters 711 00:57:11,040 --> 00:57:19,040 to stitch together a 36-inute propaganda video of police officers around the 712 00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:22,640 country getting shot at at dut on duty or something and one after the other 713 00:57:21,280 --> 00:57:27,599 came up and gave the rest of their time to the video. And then after we demanded 714 00:57:25,680 --> 00:57:33,680 that we be allowed to show video in the police and uh fire commission meeting um 715 00:57:31,680 --> 00:57:37,599 they came out with rules that video can't be shown. You can't pass time for 716 00:57:35,599 --> 00:57:43,680 other people. You can't do any of these other things. Um I remember when Chief 717 00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:50,240 Vtorio stood up and said talked about the uh Arabics in Oaklan. 718 00:57:47,680 --> 00:57:57,440 I remember when uh Veter who used to be on the department said that Fedya Miss 719 00:57:53,680 --> 00:58:03,520 Muhammad was exploiting her son's death for money. 720 00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:09,280 » I remember when WBEZ in 2023 dropped a report that said 36.3% 721 00:58:05,920 --> 00:58:14,480 of all traffic stops in Oaklan were against black drivers. 722 00:58:12,480 --> 00:58:20,720 I think we can probably assume that 36.3% 723 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:24,559 of Oaklan's population is not black. And I remember when officer Patrick 724 00:58:22,400 --> 00:58:31,119 O'Donnell was charged with the brutal assault of Hadi Abuila and almost every 725 00:58:28,559 --> 00:58:36,880 single officer in this department showed up in uniform at Cook County on 26th in 726 00:58:34,079 --> 00:58:40,799 California as a show of force in support of a man who beat a child almost to 727 00:58:39,440 --> 00:58:46,880 death. And so, no, I'm not surprised that the 728 00:58:43,280 --> 00:58:52,319 Oaklan police just 20 days ago used an illegal chokeold against a small boy. 729 00:58:50,240 --> 00:58:58,240 And no, I'm not surprised that you all spent more resources going after his 730 00:58:55,040 --> 00:59:02,960 mother than you did in investigating the death of Murad Kurie. I remind you, no 731 00:59:01,200 --> 00:59:07,920 Oaklan officers even went to the bar that Leanne Cusack had been drinking at 732 00:59:06,079 --> 00:59:12,960 until her private attorney began to investigate it. 733 00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:16,160 And so, no, I'm not surprised that I'm here again. And you all shouldn't be 734 00:59:14,480 --> 00:59:22,079 surprised that we're going to continue to be here again and again because you 735 00:59:19,280 --> 00:59:26,079 have made it very clear and the Oakan Police Department has made it very clear 736 00:59:24,319 --> 00:59:30,319 that you are not interested in any kind of justice. You are not interested in 737 00:59:27,920 --> 00:59:35,359 any kind of accountability and very clearly you believe in a system of might 738 00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:40,720 makes right in which a 14-year-old can be slammed into a counter, put into an 739 00:59:38,079 --> 00:59:45,599 illegal chokeold and the result of that is not hey maybe we should figure out 740 00:59:42,960 --> 00:59:50,720 what went wrong and instead hey here's a shitty AI generated police um comm's 741 00:59:49,040 --> 00:59:54,799 report that we sent out to the press today 742 00:59:52,319 --> 00:59:59,119 and these people at the ArabAmerican Action Network are organizing juveniles 743 00:59:57,119 --> 01:00:01,440 to act illegally inside of our police commission board meetings. It's 744 01:00:00,960 --> 01:00:04,506 ridiculous. >> Time is up, sir. 745 01:00:02,240 --> 01:00:06,240 » And so what I will SAY IS, HEY, OAKLAND, [screaming] 746 01:00:05,040 --> 01:00:10,640 WHAT DO YOU KNOW? >> HEY OAKLAND, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? 747 01:00:08,319 --> 01:00:14,319 » THESE COPS LET A KILLER GO. >> THESE COPS LET A KILLER GO. 748 01:00:12,799 --> 01:00:17,040 » HEY [screaming] OAKLAND, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? 749 01:00:15,040 --> 01:00:23,839 » HEY OAKLAND, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? >> THESE COPS LET A KILLER GO. 750 01:00:19,280 --> 01:00:28,640 » THESE COPS LET A KILLER GO. JUSTICE FOR >> JUSTICE FOR TURKEY. 751 01:00:26,240 --> 01:00:32,720 » JUSTICE FOR [screaming] TURKEY. >> JUSTICE FOR TURKEY. 752 01:00:31,040 --> 01:00:35,200 » SAY HIS NAME. >> TURKEY. 753 01:00:33,440 --> 01:00:37,680 » Say his name. >> Turkey. 754 01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:40,079 » Say his name. >> Turkey. 755 01:00:38,319 --> 01:00:43,280 » Say his name. >> Turkey. 756 01:00:40,720 --> 01:00:45,760 » Justice for who? >> JUSTICE FOR WHO? 757 01:00:45,119 --> 01:00:51,520 » TURKEY. >> JUSTICE FOR WHO? 758 01:00:48,319 --> 01:00:51,520 » Say his name. 759 01:00:59,527 --> 01:01:01,547 » [cough] 760 01:01:05,680 --> 01:01:11,760 » Mayor, there are no public no more public comments. 761 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:15,680 » All right, this is the end of public comment. Would you please officer shut 762 01:01:13,599 --> 01:01:18,680 the door so we can continue with village business? 763 01:01:24,480 --> 01:01:29,119 You can you can leave that one open, guys. 764 01:01:26,400 --> 01:01:31,760 » Yeah, leave that one open. That one can stay open. Close this one. 765 01:01:30,559 --> 01:01:34,559 » They're not making any noise. I leave the door open. 766 01:01:32,640 --> 01:01:38,720 » Okay. >> As long as they're not making any noise, 767 01:01:36,319 --> 01:01:44,160 we can leave the doors open. If they're disruptive, we'll close them. 768 01:01:42,400 --> 01:01:48,799 » All right. Conflict of interest. Does any trustee have any conflict with any 769 01:01:46,240 --> 01:01:52,400 item on this agenda? Hearing none, we'll move on to new 770 01:01:50,319 --> 01:01:56,480 business by village trustee that we will start in district six. Trusty Sach, 771 01:01:55,359 --> 01:02:00,000 » no new business. >> Uh district five, 772 01:01:58,400 --> 01:02:04,000 » nothing at this time. Thank you. district. 773 01:02:01,040 --> 01:02:08,400 » Uh ju just one item is um in my district, District 4, the one of the 774 01:02:06,400 --> 01:02:13,200 local churches, the World Society Church of God is partnering with the American 775 01:02:10,480 --> 01:02:16,559 Red Cross for a blood drive uh on August. No, March 16th. 776 01:02:15,760 --> 01:02:20,799 » March. >> Yep. The 2020 777 01:02:19,119 --> 01:02:22,160 of 2027. No. >> Yeah, that would be 20. It's a long 778 01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:27,040 date. >> Yeah, I got the wrong date, but it's 779 01:02:24,160 --> 01:02:31,599 coming up. I got I got to look. >> All right. It's I I'll have it for the 780 01:02:29,520 --> 01:02:35,599 next meeting. I think it's in September. >> Yeah, they they invited me, too, but I I 781 01:02:33,839 --> 01:02:39,640 I never noted the date. >> Yeah, you know, I 782 01:02:40,160 --> 01:02:46,079 » It's a very good church. They do a lot of good public work for the community. 783 01:02:44,640 --> 01:02:50,559 Anything else, trustee? >> Uh that's the only thing. [snorts] 784 01:02:47,680 --> 01:02:55,599 » All right. District three. >> Thank you, mayor. Um I do have uh just 785 01:02:52,880 --> 01:03:00,720 things from the events commission. Um this Sunday, August 30th, will be the 786 01:02:57,680 --> 01:03:07,119 last uh Sunday concert. Um that will be starting at 6 o'clock. Um then, uh three 787 01:03:04,319 --> 01:03:13,440 weeks away, we are fall music festival. Um that starts on September 11th and 788 01:03:10,000 --> 01:03:17,920 12th. And so um you know, like to invite the village of Oklahoma out. Um it's uh 789 01:03:16,319 --> 01:03:21,280 usually a good time for friends and family come by. So thank you. Look 790 01:03:19,760 --> 01:03:23,359 forward to that. Thank you. >> All right. District one. None at this 791 01:03:22,880 --> 01:03:25,599 time. >> Thank you. Okay, we'll move on to the 792 01:03:24,880 --> 01:03:27,680 village manager. >> Uh, no new business. 793 01:03:26,480 --> 01:03:31,599 » All right, we'll move on to consent agenda. All items on the consent agenda 794 01:03:29,680 --> 01:03:34,720 are routine and brought forward at the direction of the board of trustees, 795 01:03:33,039 --> 01:03:39,200 village manager, village committees and will be enacted in one motion. If 796 01:03:36,960 --> 01:03:44,000 discussion is desired, that item will be removed from the consent agenda and 797 01:03:41,599 --> 01:03:47,760 considered separately. A, approval of the regular meeting 798 01:03:45,599 --> 01:03:54,559 minutes of 2026-13 dated July 28th, 2026 799 01:03:51,200 --> 01:03:59,280 B. Ordinance 26-14-42, an ordinance amending title 2, Board of 800 01:03:57,200 --> 01:04:04,039 Commissioners, Chapter 2, Appeals and Review Board, section 2-25. 801 01:04:04,079 --> 01:04:10,799 This is reference to meetings of the Oklahoma Village Code relative to the 802 01:04:08,079 --> 01:04:16,200 regular meeting dates of the Appeals and Review Board. C. Ordinance 26-14-43, 803 01:04:16,240 --> 01:04:23,280 an ordinance amending title 3 business and license regulations and title 4 804 01:04:21,280 --> 01:04:30,559 zoning regulations of the village of Oklahoma code to establish a class GFT, 805 01:04:27,440 --> 01:04:36,359 that's a gun smithing and firearm transfer license. D. Ordinance 2614-44. 806 01:04:36,400 --> 01:04:47,440 an ordinance amending chapter 6-9 of the Oakan Village Code renaming the Ulanon 807 01:04:43,599 --> 01:04:52,720 affordable keystone known as Oak O residential construction and sales 808 01:04:49,359 --> 01:04:58,400 program as a special homestead exemption building program and adopting purchase 809 01:04:55,520 --> 01:05:04,400 and owner occupancy requirements and form permanent owner occupancy and no 810 01:05:01,440 --> 01:05:09,839 rental restrictive covenant. E. Ordinance 26-14-45, 811 01:05:08,160 --> 01:05:15,440 an ordinance amending the village of Oklahoma Village Code relative to 812 01:05:11,760 --> 01:05:24,000 nonowner occupied residential dwellings unit permit year. F ordinance 26-14-46 813 01:05:21,760 --> 01:05:29,760 an ordinance amending title 3 business and license regulations and title 8 814 01:05:27,440 --> 01:05:34,480 health and sanitation of the village of Oklahoma village code relative to 815 01:05:31,680 --> 01:05:42,039 business registration requirements exemptions and fee 816 01:05:37,760 --> 01:05:42,039 G resolution 26-14-64 817 01:05:42,160 --> 01:05:47,680 a resolution waving competitive bidding and approving a proposal from William 818 01:05:46,319 --> 01:05:52,640 Quinn and Son Incorporated to restore Commonwealth 819 01:05:49,839 --> 01:05:57,680 Edison corridor landscaping areas associated with bid package number six 820 01:05:55,520 --> 01:06:02,440 of the regional water project in the amount not to exceed $90,679.96. 821 01:06:04,880 --> 01:06:09,079 H resolution 26-14-65 822 01:06:09,280 --> 01:06:18,520 a resolution authorizing the release of certain executive session minutes. I 823 01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:18,520 resolution 26-14-66, 824 01:06:18,640 --> 01:06:25,440 a resolution approving a proposal from Strand Associates Incorporated for 825 01:06:23,440 --> 01:06:30,640 engineering services for the community development block grant cured in place 826 01:06:28,160 --> 01:06:35,359 pipe sanitary sewer rehabilitation project in the amount not to exceed 827 01:06:33,200 --> 01:06:39,559 $44,000. J resolution 26-14-67 828 01:06:39,839 --> 01:06:47,039 a resolution approving a proposal from Strand Associates Incorporated for 829 01:06:44,720 --> 01:06:52,799 engineering services for the community development block grant cured in place 830 01:06:49,680 --> 01:07:00,680 sanitary sewer rehabilitation project in the amount not to exceed $48,000. 831 01:06:56,559 --> 01:07:00,680 K. Resolution 26-14-68, 832 01:07:00,799 --> 01:07:07,319 a resolution approving change order number five in the amount of $7,715 833 01:07:09,119 --> 01:07:18,880 for water main emergency repairs related to the Polaris Water Detention Project. 834 01:07:14,880 --> 01:07:23,760 L resolution 26-14-68, a resolution approving a proposal from 835 01:07:21,039 --> 01:07:30,000 Strand Associates Incorporation for the NPDC 836 01:07:25,520 --> 01:07:36,000 ECMS MS4 storm water management planning engineering services in the amount not 837 01:07:32,079 --> 01:07:40,200 to exceed $39,500. M res resolution 26-14-69 838 01:07:41,039 --> 01:07:51,039 a resolution prop uh approving a proposal from RJN Group Incorporated for 839 01:07:47,119 --> 01:07:58,640 the 2026 sanitary sewer system smoke testing and data analysis services in 840 01:07:54,240 --> 01:08:06,160 the amount not to exceed $99,400 and resolution 26-14-70 841 01:08:03,359 --> 01:08:11,520 a resolution approving current ownership disclosure of Fair Play Incorporated and 842 01:08:09,280 --> 01:08:18,319 authorizing interference of a replacement business class liquor P1 843 01:08:15,039 --> 01:08:22,159 liquor license for Fair Play Foods at 8700 South Cicero Avenue. 844 01:08:21,199 --> 01:08:23,520 » Motion to approve. >> Second. 845 01:08:23,040 --> 01:08:28,560 » Second. >> Any discussion? 846 01:08:25,440 --> 01:08:30,560 Any discussion? Hearing none. Call the vote, please. 847 01:08:29,600 --> 01:08:32,159 » Trusty Melo. >> Yes. 848 01:08:31,040 --> 01:08:33,759 » Trusty Stalker. >> Yes. 849 01:08:32,719 --> 01:08:36,000 » Trusty Warren. >> Yes. Trusty Sock. 850 01:08:35,279 --> 01:08:40,400 » Yes. >> Trusty Penrook. 851 01:08:37,120 --> 01:08:43,040 » Yes. Motions pass. A village clerk's report. 852 01:08:41,120 --> 01:08:48,799 » We have dispersement resolution number 2026-15D 853 01:08:45,679 --> 01:08:51,799 dated August 11th, 2026 in the amount of 8,763,964.77. 854 01:08:55,120 --> 01:08:57,440 » Motion, please. >> Motion approve. 855 01:08:56,640 --> 01:09:00,400 » Second. >> Second. Roll call. 856 01:08:59,359 --> 01:09:01,920 » Trusty Melo. >> Yes. 857 01:09:00,799 --> 01:09:03,920 » Trusty Stalker. >> Yes. 858 01:09:02,480 --> 01:09:05,359 » Trusty Warren. Yes. >> Trusty Sock. 859 01:09:04,880 --> 01:09:06,640 » Yes. >> Trusty Penrook. 860 01:09:06,400 --> 01:09:11,839 » Yes. >> Motion passes. 861 01:09:08,400 --> 01:09:19,000 » First resolution number 2026-16D dated August 25th, 2026 in the amount of 862 01:09:16,000 --> 01:09:19,000 7,330,96929. 863 01:09:21,759 --> 01:09:24,080 » Motion, please. >> Motion to approve. 864 01:09:23,440 --> 01:09:25,679 » Second. >> Second. 865 01:09:24,560 --> 01:09:27,199 » Roll call. >> Trusty Malo. 866 01:09:26,719 --> 01:09:28,799 » Yes. >> Trusty Stalker. 867 01:09:28,319 --> 01:09:30,400 » Yes. >> Trusty Warren. 868 01:09:29,839 --> 01:09:31,839 » Yes. >> Trusty Sack. 869 01:09:31,359 --> 01:09:36,080 » Yes. >> Trusty Penrook. All right, madame clerk 870 01:09:34,000 --> 01:09:40,400 pillage president's report. A, we'll take each 871 01:09:37,920 --> 01:09:45,600 one of these at a time. A ordinance 26-14-47, 872 01:09:43,040 --> 01:09:51,520 an ordinance amending ordinance number 26-09-23 873 01:09:48,400 --> 01:09:59,440 to clarify licensed premises increasing the number of class LIQ- 874 01:09:55,760 --> 01:10:07,760 C liquor licenses by one and authorizing the issuance of an additional class LIQ- 875 01:10:04,719 --> 01:10:13,840 liquor license by the village of Oaklaw. That's for Zo Sports Bar and Grill LLC. 876 01:10:11,600 --> 01:10:20,080 Doing business is Uncle Buds Bar and Grill. 9708 9710 Cisero Avenue, 877 01:10:18,159 --> 01:10:23,120 Oklahoma, Illinois. Motion. >> Motion approve. 878 01:10:21,360 --> 01:10:25,040 » We [snorts] got first and second. >> Yes. 879 01:10:23,679 --> 01:10:26,480 » Okay. Roll call. >> Trusty Melo. 880 01:10:25,920 --> 01:10:28,080 » Yes. >> Trusty Stalker. 881 01:10:27,520 --> 01:10:29,679 » Yes. >> Trusty Warren. 882 01:10:29,040 --> 01:10:31,120 » Yes. >> Trusty Sock. 883 01:10:30,560 --> 01:10:32,560 » Yes. >> Trusty Penrook. 884 01:10:32,159 --> 01:10:39,040 » Yes. >> Motion passes. Ordinance 26-14-48, 885 01:10:36,640 --> 01:10:43,840 an ordinance authorizing the issuance of a class 2 tobacco retailer license by 886 01:10:41,679 --> 01:10:50,400 the village of Oklahoma due to a change in ownership. Uh that's Blaze Hayes 887 01:10:47,520 --> 01:10:55,199 Incorporating doing business as Bla1 Hayes, 9241 888 01:10:52,960 --> 01:10:57,520 South Cicero Avenue, Oklahoma. Motion, please. 889 01:10:56,560 --> 01:10:58,640 » Motion to approve. >> Second. 890 01:10:58,080 --> 01:11:00,719 » Second. >> Roll call. 891 01:10:59,760 --> 01:11:02,239 » Trusty Mow. >> Yes. 892 01:11:01,199 --> 01:11:04,400 » Trusty Stalker. >> Yes. Trusty Warren, 893 01:11:03,760 --> 01:11:05,760 » yes. >> Trusty Sock, 894 01:11:05,360 --> 01:11:07,120 » yes. >> Trusty Penrook, 895 01:11:06,800 --> 01:11:14,719 » yes. >> Motion passes. C is ordinance 26-14-49, 896 01:11:11,600 --> 01:11:19,199 an ordinance authorizing the issuance of a class one tobacco retailer license by 897 01:11:17,120 --> 01:11:25,360 the village of Oklahoma due to a change in ownership. Uh that's Oklahoma LLC 898 01:11:22,080 --> 01:11:29,600 doing business at the Shell Gas at 9800 South Cro Avenue, Oklahoma, Illinois. 899 01:11:28,239 --> 01:11:32,719 Motion >> approve. 900 01:11:30,800 --> 01:11:34,320 » Second. Roll call. >> Trusty Malow. 901 01:11:33,760 --> 01:11:36,080 » Yes. >> Trusty Stalker. 902 01:11:35,520 --> 01:11:37,520 » Yes. >> Trusty Warren. 903 01:11:37,120 --> 01:11:38,960 » Yes. >> Trusty Sack. 904 01:11:38,480 --> 01:11:41,600 » Yes. >> Trusty Pemrook. 905 01:11:40,000 --> 01:11:47,600 » All right. We need a motion to go into executive session number 20 26-06 906 01:11:45,360 --> 01:11:54,960 for the purpose of discussing one the close meeting minutes 2026-05 907 01:11:50,880 --> 01:11:58,080 dated July 25th 2026 and a settlement claim. Motion please. 908 01:11:57,040 --> 01:11:59,920 » Motion to approve. >> Second. 909 01:11:58,880 --> 01:12:02,400 » Roll call. >> Trusty Melo. Yes. 910 01:12:01,280 --> 01:12:04,080 » Trusty Stalker. >> Yes. 911 01:12:03,199 --> 01:12:05,360 » Trusty Warren. >> Yes. 912 01:12:04,560 --> 01:12:06,800 » Trusty Sack. >> Yes. 913 01:12:05,760 --> 01:12:10,480 » Trusty Penrook. >> Thank you. This ends our public portion 914 01:12:08,480 --> 01:12:13,480 of the meeting. Thanks for sticking around.