Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch and Austin Randolph Jr., President of the Springfield Branch of the NAACP, signed the 10 Shared Principles to build trust, promote fairness and ensure dignity for all community members.

Developed by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP State Conference, these principles aim to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

They emphasize valuing life, rejecting discrimination, encouraging diversity, supporting community partnerships, and safety through accountability and respect.

Sheriff Crouch stated, “Law enforcement works best when it works together with the community.
I am proud to sign these principles alongside the NAACP as a pledge to work hand-in-hand with our community to continue building confidence in how we serve.” Austin Randolph Jr. added, “The adoption of these principles marks a pivotal moment in restoring trust and accountability in law enforcement in Sangamon County. This initiative is a promise to the Springfield community that all citizens will be treated with dignity and respect.”

The 10 Shared Principles are:

  1. We value the life of every person and consider life to be the highest value.
  2. All persons should be treated with dignity and respect.
  3. We reject discrimination toward any person that is based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, nationality, immigrant status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or familial status.
  4. We endorse the six pillars of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
  5. We endorse the values inherent in community policing, which includes community partnerships involving law enforcement, engagement of community members, and collaborative problem-solving.
  6. We believe that developing strong ongoing relationships between law enforcement and communities of color at the leadership level and street level will be the keys to diminishing and eliminating racial tension.
  7. We believe that law enforcement and community leaders have a mutual responsibility to encourage all citizens to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the law to assist them in their interactions with law enforcement officers.
  8. We support diversity in police departments and in the law enforcement profession.
  9. We believe de-escalation training and tactics should be required to ensure the safety of community members and officers.
  10. We believe that both law enforcement and community members have a mutual responsibility to ensure the safety of the community.