Group calling for change in wake of Manrique incident

Blue Island officials received a blueprint Tuesday outlining what many citizens say they want from their police department. The October death of an elderly Hispanic man who was tackled by police officers prompted community leaders to develop a plan to improve the way police relate to the city's residents. The proposal asked for, among other things, a police review board, a way for citizens to lodge complaints against police, a clear definition of the use of force and when it should be used, and cultural and sensitivity training for officers. Members of the predominantly Hispanic community group Citizens in Action Serving All, and the Blue Island Area Ministerial Association compiled the nine-part proposal that was presented to Blue Island Mayor Donald Peloquin and the city council at the Tuesday night meeting. "The whole community will respond positively if we can cooperate to put into place a higher level of public accountability for the police force," CASA president Rene Valenciano said in a letter accompanying the proposal. The call for police accountability arose when Antonio Manrique, 74, was tackled by police detectives on Oct. 6, and died from his injuries four days later. Police maintain the incident was a case of mistaken identity, and the officers involved have been restricted to desk duty while the Illinois State Police investigate. City and state officials said the investigation is being finalized, but results could come as late as mid-February. The city's Hispanic community was outraged by Manrique's death, and demanded answers from city officials. [more] and  [more]