When the Data Challenged Me: What Rock Island’s Police Hiring Numbers Actually Show
For decades, I have heard — and shared — concerns that racial bias may influence police hiring in Rock Island, negatively impacting police-community relations. I recently published data that shows our overall police force is 88% White and only 8% Black. This post was met with a mixture of gut-level agreement that the system is rigged, with accusations that non-White applicants don't apply as often or drop out at higher rates and that tracking this type of data is problematic
2 hours ago7 min read
The Three-Person Board That Shapes Rock Island Public Safety
In response to a recent set of slides examining the demographics of our police and fire departments, several readers asked an important question: who is actually responsible for hiring our public safety workforce? The answer is not the Mayor or City Council. It is not Human Resources. While the Police and Fire Chiefs play a role in certain promotional and disciplinary matters, the formal authority over hiring, promotions, and serious discipline rests with the Board of Fire an
Feb 63 min read
Rock Island's Current Population Compared to our Neighbors
A quick view of Rock Island's current population compared to our neighbors.
Jul 12, 20251 min read
What is a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District — and How Does It Work?
Helping the public understand a TIF and the proposed TIF in Rock Island.
Jun 19, 20256 min read
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