Sensitivity classes OK'd for Aurora cops

In a town as diverse as Aurora, it's critical that its police officers are culturally sensitive, city leaders say.

To that end, they're paying $90,000 for the department's more than 400 sworn officers and civilians to undergo mandatory cultural awareness training.

City officials approved the training this week, with 4th Ward Alderman Rick Lawrence voting against it.

"Ninety thousand dollars is an awful lot of money. I think we have more of a morale problem than we do a sensitivity problem," he said, referring to the ongoing dispute between the police union and city leaders as they negotiate for a new contract.

Police officials say the training, an idea that arose from networking with other agencies, will improve the department's image, credibility and effectiveness.

Not having it would be a detriment to the department, Police Chief William Powell said.

"Sometimes we don't know what the norms of other cultures are," he said.

The training will be provided by the Illinois Commission on Diversity & Human Relations in Arlington Heights. The eight-hour sessions will take place next month. A post-training assessment will be done in December.

Stories of police misconduct are everywhere, Mayor Tom Weisner said. Though Aurora hasn't been a focus, "that doesn't mean we can get complacent," he said. "We always need training."

And while $90,000 is a lot, it's not $9 million, which is what one lawsuit could cost, he said.