ROCHELLE – As protests and riots continue across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death, individuals and groups from across the nation are sharing their reactions to video footage of that specific incident and the greater issues at hand of racism, profiling and unequal treatment of African-Americans.
In the video, Floyd, who was African-American, can be seen being pinned to the ground for nearly nine minutes by Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer. Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck the entire time and Floyd can be heard begging the officer to let up because he could not breathe.
Despite pleas from Floyd and bystanders, Chauvin did nothing to lessen the pressure or weight on Floyd’s neck, which ultimately contributed to Floyd’s death. Since then, Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and three other Minneapolis police officers who were also on the scene are being charged as well.
In the light of this tragedy, many people across the country are protesting and speaking out about the actions in the video and against the history of racism in the nation. Unfortunately, in many cases, the protests have also opened the door for violence and looting which takes away from the intended message and complicates the issues.
In Rochelle, a peaceful protest was held recently without any incidents, but some local individuals have expressed their perspectives on the video and also the bigger picture of what took place and what America as a whole should be doing in response.

“We have been fighting this for years...It is very sad that I have to say that this didn’t surprise me...George Floyd was just the tipping point of the bigger issue.”
James Hart

“The video made me cry, it is very hard to watch and both makes me infuriated and scared,” said Jodie Hart, a Rochelle resident who is a white mother of two African-American children. “When somebody is begging for help and begging for their life and nobody stops, it makes me very angry that we are not listening to black voices.”
With the advent of cell phone video and social media, more alarming incidents similar to Floyd’s case have come to the forefront of late. For that reason, many people in the African-American community, including Jodie’s 19-year-old son, James, were upset, but not surprised by the actions in the video.

“We have been fighting this for years,” James said. “It is very sad that I have to say that this didn’t surprise me, but there are just so many videos out there and nothing has changed. George Floyd was just the tipping point of the bigger issue.”
It is not only members of the African-American community who are voicing their opinions and protesting, but individuals of all backgrounds and even police officers are standing together to push for change with how authorities interact with African-American citizens. Local retired Illinois State Trooper Mike Broome, who spent over three decades in law enforcement, couldn’t help but have a problem with how Chauvin conducted himself in the video.
“I have been through three police academies and I do not remember ever being trained to put a knee on somebody’s neck to restrain them,” Broome said. “If you have to cuff somebody, you put your knee on their shoulder to cuff them, but once they are restrained you get them up and put them in the vehicle. I was taught to restrain them, get them in the vehicle and get them out of there, I do not understand why Floyd was on the ground for nearly nine minutes.”
From what Broome was taught and what he saw in the video, the way Chauvin conducted himself was nowhere near normal procedure. However, while cases of racism and police brutality in law enforcement is a current hot button issue, Broome would like people to know that the actions of a few bad officers shouldn’t paint all officers in the same image.
“It is a very small percentage of police officers who overstep their bounds,” said Broome. “From my experience with the people I worked with, they are very dedicated to the job, and they are here to serve and make their communities better. If someone gets into law enforcement for any other reason than to serve the community, they are in it for the wrong reasons.”
Many officers even continue serving their community in various ways after they retire. Broome and other officers in the area continue working with those looking for help by volunteering as a chaplain at the Winnebago County Jail.  
The Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry is an organization based inside the Winnebago County Jail. The ministry works with the incarcerated to help bring them to Christ as a way to better themselves as a person.  
“I tell them that me or somebody like me might have brought them or a family member in here, but that doesn’t mean that we want you in here,” Broome said. “It just means that you did something to be brought here. We are all in this together and not a single person is perfect.”
While many people sympathize with the vast majority of very good officers who get put into a bad light after these situations, protesters are concerned that too much has happened in this nation and major changes are needed. The Harts believe the entire system needs an overhaul if anything is going to improve.
James added that he is concerned out in the world that an interaction with law enforcement could turn bad just because he is African-American.
“We need new training, we need officers to hold other officers accountable,” Jodie said. “Our officers need to start calling each other out and when there is a pattern of bad behavior, either retrain or let them go.”
Locally, to ensure all officers and deputies are properly trained in how to safely restrain a suspect, the entire Ogle County Sheriff’s Department and Rochelle Police Department complete a multiple day “Use of Force” training course each year. Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle also teaches his deputies to treat everybody with the same respect and encourages anybody who has an issue or concern that he is here to listen.
“I would want my family members spoken to and treated a certain way, so I expect our deputies to keep that in mind when dealing with the general public,” VanVickle said. “Treat those people just like you would treat your family member, because they are somebody’s family member. And I would encourage anybody who has suggestions or concerns to reach out to me at the Sheriff’s office, I will be more than happy to sit down and talk and I will always return a phone call.”
According to the Rochelle Police Chief Eric Higby, all of his officers also strive to treat each situation the same.
“While there is no such thing as a “routine” traffic stop, our officers handle our vehicle and pedestrian stops in a similar manner each time,” Higby said. “Members of the Rochelle Police Department enforce laws and ordinances based on the circumstances at hand, without bias.”
The Harts are hoping a better dialogue will come and she just wants white America to listen to the feelings African-Americans are trying to express.
“People who have never experienced what African-Americans face in this country need to start educating themselves and stop getting offended,” Jodie said. “They also need to stop asking black voices to provide that education because it is not up to them, it is up to us to be better and take action, rather than just talking or posting about it.”