Sonya Massey Act Requires Stricter Police Background Checks
Last year, Sonya Massey was shot and killed in her home by a police officer after she called 911 when she thought someone was trying to break into her home. Massey’s death prompted legislation requiring police departments to conduct deeper, more thorough background checks into potential new officers. On Tuesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed that legislation into law with Massey’s family in attendance.
According to AP News, Sonya Massey’s death led to a deeper dive into the background of ex-Sherriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, the man responsible for her shooting death. Grayson was kicked out of the Army for a DUI conviction and worked six policing jobs over four years, three of which were part-time.
“Six jobs in four years should have raised a red flag. And you would ask why he wasn’t hired full-time in any of those (part-time) jobs,” Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, told AP News. “Combined with a track record of DUIs, it would be enough to do further examination as to whether or not he would be a good fit.”
Grayson worked for a year as a sheriff’s deputy in Illinois’ Logan County, where he was told he needed more training in “high-stress decision-making classes.” Grayson faced two accusations of misconduct while at Logan County, but resigned before an investigation could be completed. Grayson had only been working as a Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy for 14 months when he answered Sonya Massey’s call.
“Our justice system needs to be built on trust,” Pritzker said after signing the law. “Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct, and police officers should be able to trust that they are serving alongside responsible and capable individuals.”
“Several departments need to pick up their game and implement new procedures, but what’s listed here (in the law) is what should be minimally done in a background check,” said Kenny Winslow, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, told AP News.
From NBC News:
Those seeking policing jobs must sign a waiver allowing past employers to release unredacted background materials, including job performance reports, physical and psychological fitness-for-duty reports, civil and criminal court records, and, even otherwise nonpublic documents such as nondisclosure or separation agreements.
“It isn’t punitive to any police officer. The same kind of common-sense legislation needs to be done nationwide,” James Wilburn, Massey’s father, said. “People should not be able to go from department to department and their records not follow them.”
The hiring agency may see the contents of documents sealed by court order by getting a judge’s approval, and court action is available to compel a former employer to hand over records.
The Illinois law is the first of its kind in the nation; a fact I find truly baffling. The new law seems like the bare minimum of what police departments should’ve already been doing. Too often, police officers are allowed to bounce from department to department due to misconduct without facing serious consequences until someone winds up dead.
While the law is a sign of progress, what’s disheartening is the fact that Grayson would’ve likely still been hired even with the new law in effect. Former Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell was aware of Grayson’s history and still hired him. As a result of Sonya Massey’s death, Campbell was forced to resign from his position. Massey’s tragic and unnecessary death has inspired some kind of change, and I think that’s a good thing, but as long as the police are willing to look past misconduct, I’m skeptical of how much change this will actually effect.
Two weeks after Sonya Massey’s death, Grayson was fired and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to the charges and will stand trial in October.
SEE ALSO:
Op-Ed: We Have To Keep Sonya Massey’s Name Alive
Activists Demand Sonya Massey’s Killer Stay Jailed