The family of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman tragically killed by police in July 2024, is pushing for significant changes to Illinois state law to address issues related to police officer transfers.
The proposed reforms aim to close loopholes that allow officers with problematic records to be rehired by other departments, despite previous misconduct.
Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, argues that a reform of the Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act could have prevented his daughter’s death.
The SAFE-T Act, signed into law by Democratic Governor JB Pritzker in 2021, sought to prevent decertified officers from being employed elsewhere in Illinois. The legislation expanded the criteria for decertification to include various forms of misconduct, such as tampering with video evidence or failing to provide aid after using force.
However, Wilburn contends that further amendments are necessary. Sean Grayson, the officer involved in Massey’s shooting on July 6, had a troubling record that included multiple prior law enforcement positions, drunk-driving convictions, and being discharged from the U.S. Army for “serious misconduct.”
Despite this history, he was hired by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department in May 2023.
Wilburn has called on state Senator Doris Turner to champion legislative changes to address this issue. He proposed a new bill, tentatively titled “The Sonya Massey Bill,” which would prevent officers who resign under duress from moving to new departments.
Turner, who considers herself a family friend, acknowledged the complexity of introducing new legislation. She highlighted that the SAFE-T Act already includes a process called discretionary decertification, which allows the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to investigate misconduct complaints.
Despite the provisions in the SAFE-T Act, there have been no cases of discretionary decertification since the law’s new measures took effect in April 2024.
Chicago nonprofit Impact for Equity also reported that no officers have been subject to this process. Critics argue that officers with troubling histories, like Grayson, are part of a larger issue of “wandering officers” who move between departments without proper scrutiny.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police has noted that such patterns of frequent job changes should raise concerns about an officer’s suitability for the profession. The organization emphasizes the need for thorough vetting to prevent incidents like Massey’s death.
“The shooting again underscores the critical need for police agencies to thoroughly vet potential hires,” the Association stated. “The pattern and nature of frequent job changes by a police officer should raise flags about their suitability for the policing profession.”
