JoAnn Johnson looking forward to "shift the tide" as new co-chair for Massey Commission

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — JoAnn Johnson will be serving alongside Shadia Massey as one of the new co-chairs for the Massey Commission. She said she is looking forward to "change things for the better" in the city of Springfield.

The citizens' commission was created following the killing of Sonya Massey by a former Sangamon County deputy. Former deputy Sean Grayson was charged with murder after body camera video showed he shot Massey in her home on July 6.

The Massey Commission was announced by Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter and State Senator Doris Turner on August 16 following Massey's death.

Johnson has nearly 30 years of experience working for the Illinois State Police. She said she worked many jobs, but she specifically cites her time as a training officer at the ISP Academy as her favorite. It was there that she was able to educate cadets about topics like dismantling biased-based policing. Before she retired from ISP, she worked for Fair and Impartial Policing, where she trained officers on recognizing and deconstructing their own implicit bias.

Johnson said when applications were available, it was an obvious choice to throw her name in the hat. "When this commission formed and I saw that you could apply, I instantly was 'Maybe this is my chance to do more than just be sad and hope and want and wish.'"

Not long after she was notified that she was selected as a commissioner, she was offered the role as co-chair. Johnson said the commission is something tangible that could really help the city. "There has to be a change. You hear people always say, 'Oh my gosh, thoughts and prayers with the family,' 'Thoughts and prayers', 'So sad,' 'Praying for you.' That's not enough," she explained. "We can actually take some actionable steps, come up with some recommendations, some resolutions -- anything that can maybe shift the tide here in Springfield."