Springfield Council moves forward with police bias training; working to make cemetery more accessible

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)- The City of Springfield is working to make Oak Ridge Cemetery more accessible to everyone.

During Tuesday night's council meeting, the council approved an ordinance for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Office of Public Works to build an ADA pathway.

This would allow those with disabilities to access the new Gold Star Memorial in the war memorial state historic site.

The project is expected to cost $6,000.

Council also voted to move forward with a contract for police bias training.

Springfield's Police Department asked for additional training for implicit bias and policing minority communities, in the wake of Sonya Massey's murder.

The City will spend about $69,000 for a program with Inner Vision International Inc.

The program "The New Conversation" will be partially funded by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.