Zenna Ramos will be sworn in Thursday
Tuesday, Sep 19, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here and here if you need it. From the Village of Riverside’s Director of Public Safety Matt Buckley…
On August 31, 2023, the Village of Riverside and Zenna Ramos appeared before the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board’s Waiver Review Committee to appeal the denial of Ramos waiver of basic training this denial led to her decertification in April 2023.
The Village of Riverside was successful in our appeal, this success was not possible without the support of Governor J.B. Pritzker, State Representative LaShawn Ford, State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, State Representative Elizabeth Hernandez, State Senator Mike Porfirio, Riverside Village President Joseph Ballerine and Board of Trustees.
On Monday, September 18, 2023, the Village received a letter acknowledging that Officer Ramos received her Waiver of Basic Training and requirements moving forward. We are excited to announce a public swearing in ceremony for Officer Zenna Ramos.
Officer Ramos’ swearing in ceremony is important as that appeal is symbolic of what the Village of Riverside and those that have supported Officer Ramos throughout this process stand for and represent. The collective “We” believe in second chances, that individuals can overcome their circumstances and be successful. If given the chance and the support system, the opportunities are only limited by the commitment to overcome those challenges.
Director of Public Safety Matt Buckley states; “Officer Ramos has demonstrated to me that she is the type of Officer we want working at the Riverside Police Department. She has worked tirelessly to prove herself and has shown resilience throughout this entire process.”
The swearing in ceremony will occur outside of Riverside Town Hall located at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside at 6:30 PM.
I don’t understand the process at the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. Why are staff members empowered to make these decertification decisions? Why is it now up to a recently created review committee to make sure the proper staff actions were taken in the first place?
These potentially career-ending decisions should be made by the board itself, the same way it’s done at the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois State Board of Elections. Staff does the research, makes recommendations, and the boards then hold hearings and take public votes.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 11:05 am:
Excellent news and yeah, I don’t get staff making the ultimate decision on something like this.
- Wut - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 11:21 am:
“ Staff does the research, makes recommendations, and the boards then hold hearings and take public votes.”
That’s exactly what happens. BTW, The Review Committee also heard lots of other details that were omitted from earlier reports. Also, ILETSB never opposed the PFA. Calling it concern trolling was incorrect.
- Politix - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 11:37 am:
==The Review Committee also heard lots of other details that were omitted from earlier reports==
How many individual cases were heard by the committee? Surely you are not suggesting there was more to Zenna’s story because there wasn’t.
- Socially DIstant watcher - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 11:37 am:
The answer used to be, forget it, Jake, it’s LETSB.
This movie is way better than that 1990 sequel.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 11:40 am:
===Calling it concern trolling was incorrect. ===
I stand firmly by that statement. And it wasn’t aimed at the full ILETSB. It was aimed at the snarky staffer. Don’t twist my words or you won’t be around here much longer.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 12:07 pm:
=== Why are staff members empowered to make these decertification decisions? ===
Read the works of Elliot Jaques and others on bureaucracies and it is easy to understand.
Bureaucracies are best suited to carry out and preserve ministerial functions regardless of who holds the reins of power. Indeed, the bureaucracy of Russia and China is credited with preserving those states across centuries and millenia, regardless of whether the states were monarchies, democracies, communist, or capitalist.
When bureaucracies are extended within government to functions where the policies and practices are meant or expected to shift depending on who is in power within a democracy, the bureaucracy resists. It does this in a lot of ways, and one of them is by usurping authority from elected officials and their appointed boards.
The people on the front lines doing the work have seen governors come and go, and they believe they will outlast Governor Pritzker.
- Joe Schmoe - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
Someone should take the time and do a little history on ILETSB and its ‘leadership.’ It’s been a loose cannon for years.
- Politix - Tuesday, Sep 19, 23 @ 1:55 pm:
The Board itself is made up of many well-respected law enforcement leaders and other individuals involved in the criminal justice system. Staff, on the other hand, are generally retired cops with a sense of entitlement and big chips on their shoulders.