Rockford officials meet with residents on fatal traffic stop

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - Rockford's mayor and police chief met with protesters who raised concerns about the deaths of a northern Illinois police officer and a motorist during a traffic stop.

The Register Star in Rockford reports Mayor Tom McNamara and Police Chief Dan O'Shea resisted calls for a federal investigation as they fielded questions during the Tuesday meeting concerning the deaths of Officer Jaimie Cox and Eddie Patterson.

Authorities say Cox called for backup after making a traffic stop on Nov. 5. Responding officers found Cox at the scene of the crash, and he died at a hospital. Found dead inside the car was 49-year-old Eddie Patterson.

Investigators with the Winnebago-Boone County Integrity Task Force are attempting to determine what led to the deaths.

McNamara and O'Shea say they are confident that the Integrity Task Force will provide an objective and thorough investigation into the incident.