UNITED STATES REACHES AGREEMENT WITH MOUNT PROSPECT POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO RESOLVE INVESTIGATION OF DISCRIMINATORY POLICING

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Mount Prospect Police Department will implement new and enhanced policies and procedures to ensure nondiscrimination in the way it provides police services, under an agreement reached with the United States, the Justice Department announced today.

The memorandum of agreement resolves a joint investigation by the United States Attorney's Office and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. The investigation began in response to a letter sent by United States District Judge Ruben Castillo, in which he referred allegations of discriminatory treatment of Hispanics raised during an employment discrimination case in his court.

"I commend the village and the police department's cooperation in working together with us to resolve this matter,"said Ralph F. Boyd, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Today's agreement will protect the rights of minority citizens and improve police-community relations."

As a result of the five year agreement, the village and its police department, which admit no wrongdoing, will implement the following measures, many of which already are underway:

病 written policy against discrimination in policing, including nondiscrimination in conducting traffic stops;

錨ocumentation of all traffic stops by recording the driver's race, ethnic origin, and gender, the reason for the stop and the nature of any post-stop actions;

品mproved supervisory review of traffic stops and other police enforcement practices;

病 community outreach and information program, under which officers will give their names and the reason for a traffic stop at the outset of the stop and provide complaint forms in English or Spanish to persons who object to an officer's conduct;

品ncreased training regarding nondiscrimination, interpersonal communications, cultural diversity, and ethics; and

不emi-annual public reports providing traffic stop statistics by race and summary information on complaint investigations.

"No one should be stopped by the police based on a racial or ethnic stereotype," said Patrick Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. "The terms of this agreement should be considered by other police departments wanting to ensure that the civil rights of persons in their communities are not violated."

Under the 1994 Crime Bill, the Justice Department has the authority to conduct investigations and file civil suits against law enforcement agencies that engage in a pattern or practice of misconduct. This investigation also was conducted pursuant to a 1968 statute that prohibits police departments receiving Justice Department funding from engaging in discrimination.

Today's settlement is the second in the Chicago area involving allegations of discriminatory policing by a suburban police department. In July 2001, the United States entered into an agreement with the City of Highland Park after receiving complaints from Highland Park police officers of discrimination by officers in their police department.

Other settlements entered during the Bush Administration include the Cincinnati Police Department, the Buffalo, New York Police Department, the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department, and the Columbus, Ohio Police Department. The Justice Department also continues to monitor settlements covering the Los Angeles Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Steubenville, Ohio Police Department.

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