Kelton Trice shooting: Disclosure bolsters task force's integrity

By Times staff | Thursday, July 24, 2008

The news conference seemed more like a trial. Rock Island County State’s Attorney Jeff Terronez presented exhaustive evidence last week that supported East Moline Police Sgt. Tom Peterson’s fatal shooting of armed felony suspect Kelton Trice.

The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force comprised of officers from Illinois Quad-City police departments  provided impressive detail supporting

Terronez’s conclusion. Among the most compelling observations:

- 911 transcripts show a quick, careful response by police officers helping to arrest Trice on armed robbery warrants. Officers worked effectively to close in on  East Moline’s Satellite Park where Trice’s vehicle was spotted.

- Less than three minutes elapsed between the time officer Douglas Averill sought backup around Satellite Park and his urgent report of “Shots fired! Shots fired!”

- Peterson had been a liaison officer at Trice’s middle school and Trice recognized Peterson in the moments before the shooting. Terronez said Trice shouted, “No, Peterson, no,” and appeared to lower his weapon. Peterson lowered his weapon and reached for his Taser, apparently offering Trice one more chance. That’s when Trice fired, Terronez said.

- Trice fired three times and Peterson was hit twice. Peterson fired five times. Still 11 rounds remained in his weapon, suggesting restraint under extremely frantic circumstances.

Those specific observations go a long way to dispel concerns of reckless or callous police conduct.

The end result?

A violent criminal is dead. Trice had multiple convictions for battery and recklessly discharging a firearm well before he was being sought as part of an armed robbery ring.

A suspected armed robbery ring now faces criminal charges.

A respected police officer survives.

The first work of the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force exonerates the officer and implicates the slain suspected felon. Terronez helped bolster the task force’s integrity with the trial-like precision at last week’s news conference.

But it wasn’t a trial. No one other than police or prosecutors has examined this evidence. Only police officers and prosecutors decided how much time and money would be spent investigating their colleague.

Police-only approval of a police shooting alone does not bolster the integrity of police. Illinois Quad-Citians and most of their elected leaders didn’t learn about the integrity task force until after it launched its first investigation.

To establish integrity, the task force needs members who are not police officers. An independent voice is necessary to balance the inherent conflict presented by a group that oversees itself.

That voice may come from area mayors or their appointees. While they might not have applicable investigative skills, they could advise on management of the task force, particularly on how to communicate findings to the public. Without them, police shootings will be reviewed solely by those who one day might be the subject of a task force inquiry.

Virtually every metro area grapples with this same problem and we’ve cited some examples below, with links to more information online.

Terronez’s exhaustive explanation helps dispel some of the concerns we initially expressed about this brand new task force. We’ve learned that extensive disclosure relieves fear of a coverup. We hope the task force is learning that even with all of the disclosure, an insulated group cannot bestow integrity upon itself.