SPRINGFIELD – After Sergeant Javier Esqueda blew the whistle on the death of Eric Lurry in Joliet police custody, he was stripped of his badge and put on administrative leave. Esqueda made local officials aware that a video of Lurry’s death in January had been withheld from the public for the past five months. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) reacted with the following statement.

“Sergeant Esqueda is being punished for being a good officer by holding the Joliet police department accountable for the death of Eric Lurry. It sends the message that police departments are not open to reform, and any officer that goes against the code of silence will be reprimanded.

“There is no room for policing that is not focused on the healing and wellbeing of our communities. We should be encouraging officers to stand up the way Sergeant Esqueda did because no one should have to compromise their morals to keep their job, especially not a job meant to protect the public.”