During a Residence Life in-service training on April 14 for current and new resident assistants (RAs), the Naperville Police Department (NPD) provided a presentation for those in attendance. The presentation included information about increased police presence on campus during special events. This was in anticipation of the upcoming Naperville Women’s Half Marathon on April 22. Feedback from the in-service showed some attendees felt there was bias in the presentation based on race, ethnicity and religion.
Presentation
De’jah Phillips, ’23, an RA on campus, pointed to unnecessary details in the approximately thirty-minute presentation. With no trigger warning, unsettling pictures were shown to students. Along with mentions of other events not having to do with the training. Slides about terrorism and mass murder were some of these topics.
Philips also mentioned that it was tone-deaf to some students in the room. She pointed to when an officer told students to feel comfortable shaking hands and hugging police officers. The officer went on to speak about tensions between specific people and police officers.
“The issue with this is that no one who knows that their uniform causes fear in people, will actively ask people who have a reason to be afraid, to come hug them or shake their hands. That was coming from a place of privilege and not understanding some people’s realities in the room,” said Phillips.
Phillips also pointed to how this presentation was not the right place to be discussing these topics. Instead, a separate training event would have been better according to her.
“It was uncomfortable to sit through as a black woman,” said Philips.
Response from Residence Life
Director of Residence Life Andrew Zobac sent an email to RAs on April 28 following up on the presentation. He wrote that Residence Life appreciated staff and students who shared feedback. Zobac mentioned the feedback had been shared with the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) and Vice President of Student Affairs and Athletics Jessica Brown. Per the request of NPD Chief of Police Jason Arres, NCC would share the feedback with NPD. Assistant Director Augustine DeBacco also confirmed a bias incident report was filed. BIRT have contacted students impacted by the presentation.
