The McDonough County Voice
Your eyes could tell you that Monday was a special day at Macomb City Hall. First, there was a tent on the city hall lawn. Second was the number of people gathering under and around the tent.
The tent was in place as an alternative to indoor crowd prohibitions. The Macomb City Council met inside the building as usual. Then they recessed and reconvened under the tent.
The outdoor gathering was to permit as large a group as possible to witness and participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Police Chief Jerel Jones. In addition to his family from Chicago, and many Macomb residents, representatives of the NAACP were on hand including the state president.
Changing of the Guard at the Macomb Police Department peoriapublicradio.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from peoriapublicradio.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The McDonough County Voice
Editor s note: A previous version of this story mistakenly omitted a response from State s Attorney Matt Kwacala. His comments have been added to the story.
McDONOUGH COUNTY A resident who was arrested on March 2, held for 20 hours and then released by the State’s Attorney without any charges is alleging local police racially profiled her and her husband and violated their rights.
“I will never forget this, because it was my husband’s birthday,” Magen Kelly said.
Kelly, who is Black, said in interviews with the Voice that she and husband Corey Kelly, a multi-ethnic war veteran, were racially profiled and targeted for what the police report described as a “random registration check” as they made their way home through Macomb. She called dispatch twice, asking for a supervisor after they were stopped. During the calls, she expressed fear for her safety.
MPD Chief Barker announces plans to retire
Story by Downtown Macomb
Subhead: Mayor to appoint Lt. Jerel Jones as new MPD Chief
MACOMB Macomb Police Chief Curt Barker announced today that he will be retiring as Chief of Police effective May 3, 2021.
Barker, a graduate of Western Illinois University and a U.S. Army veteran, has served as a member of the Macomb Police Department for over 27 years, 12 of those years as Chief. “I am proud to have been able to serve the citizens of Macomb as a police officer and as their Chief,” said Chief Barker. “And am proud of the women and men of the Macomb Police Department, as they move into the future,” Barker added.