February 22, 2017

Duckworth Meets with Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea to Discuss Improving Public Safety

 

ROCKFORD, IL - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Rockford Police Chief Dan O'Shea today to discuss how to strengthen police-community relations and how Duckworth can support the Rockford Police Department's efforts to improve public safety. The two discussed the Department's new program to improve quality of life for Rockford residents by encouraging police officers to live in the distressed neighborhoods they serve and protect, which is modeled after the successful Resident Officer Program of Elgin (ROPE) that is run by the City of Elgin. A photo of their meeting is available here.

"It was great to meet with Chief O'Shea today to hear about how I can support the city of Rockford as Illinois's newest Senator," said Senator Duckworth. "In order to be effective, it is important for police departments to have a strong relationship with the communities they are sworn to serve and protect. Having seen how successful a similar program has been in Elgin, I am looking forward to seeing Chief O'Shea's plan in action."

Duckworth and O'Shea also talked about the need to bring economic development to the Rockford region and how more good-paying jobs will help lower the crime rate. Duckworth, who serves on the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, proposed an "economic opportunity" agenda last year to revitalize communities across the state through investments in infrastructure and education, and better support for minority- and women-owned small businesses.

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