Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – As has often been the case over the past several months, citizens critical of the Springfield Police Department dominated the public comment microphone at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Now that an investigation into how SPD officers handled the arrest of newly retired Sgt. Michael Egan is complete, with discipline meted out to four cops, council members again got an earful.

Egan retired Sept. 5 of last year. A party followed the workday, but Egan ended the day by turning his SUV in front of a motorcycle carrying two people – Travis Hopkins and Chelsey Farley – who were seriously injured. Chief Ken Scarlette said a blood test showed Egan had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his body, and he faces aggravated DUI charges.

In view of his management of the scene that night, Sgt. Andy Zander was given a six-day suspension. Officers Adam Yanor, Edward Wheeler and Richard Singletary received written reprimands. All were ordered to complete retraining.

Critics say bodycam video tells a story of cops closing ranks to protect one of their own.

Seeing as how this crash involved a motorcycle, Josh Witkowski of the cycle safety organization ABATE brought an idea to the council: “It is our recommendation that they either volunteer or be ‘volun-told’ to attend a motorcycle safety training class, so they can have better recognition of how vehicle traffic affects that,” he said.

Of the many people who addressed Mayor Misty Buscher and the council, it was Kaylee Freeman whose comments were the most loaded with personal attacks.

She called for the police chief’s resignation, saying he and his men and women are criminals. “Dirty cops want us to respect them. Maybe they should start by respecting the people who pay their salaries and allow them to be in a union,” Freeman said, adding city clerk “Chuck Redpath’s own son is on our police force, and he has done violence.”

Freeman’s criticism extended beyond the city’s elected and appointed officials. The night began with honors for Memorial Health‘s retiring CEO, Ed Curtis, an event which escaped neither Freeman’s notice nor her vitriol.

“I don’t know what special treatment was traded for that declaration today, but we do know, Misty, that your husband has some health issues, so I’m sure you’re getting your private room or whatever,” Freeman said. “Nurses were given one mask in a brown paper sack and made to ration that. Ed made $10 million that year. He profited off of your sick loved ones, who he made say goodbye on iPads.”

In terms of police-community relations – as well as race relations – the community has been on edge, and police have been under more criticism, since the July 6, 2024 police killing of Sonya Massey by Sean Grayson, who was a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy before being fired, charged with murder, and jailed.

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