Jake Forney takes the oath of office as Kewanee’s new fire chief during Tuesday’s City Council, as Mayor Gary Moore and City Manager Kasey Mitchell listen. Also sworn in Monday to new ranks in the fire department were Captain Joseph Rediger, Lt. Andrew Welgat and Engineer Shawn Frank. [Photo by Michael Berry]

The City Council Tuesday approved an ordinance taking a more humane approach to Kewanee’s dealing with unhoused people.

Police Chief Stephen Kijanowski, who drafted the ordinance, wrote in a memo to the council that the aim is not to punish people who are homeless.

“Throughout the drafting process,” Kijanowski wrote, “efforts were made to ensure that the ordinance remained balanced, narrowly tailored and focused on nuisance abatement and public access concerns, rather than punishment.

“The City Council specifically removed separate penalty provisions from the ordinance,” the chief wrote, “and the Kewanee Police Department’s intent is not to simply issue citations to people experiencing hardship.”

Kijanowski wrote that even before the ordinance was enacted, local police offers have been doing what they can to help people in need. They provide transportation to shelters, family members or known residents, and can refer people to housing and support services.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Deputy Chief Michael Minx said anyone who has nowhere to live can come to the police station, and the department will do all it can to help them.

Kijanowski’s memo said the proposed ordinance “was modeled in part after recommendations and materials developed by the Illinois Municipal League.”

The ordinance follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case involving unhoused people, guidance from the Illinois Department of Human Rights and protections guaranteed by Illinois law.

Kijanowski wrote that earlier this month he met with Project NOW and Christian Care representatives to discussed options for people in the community who are homeless. Those organizations are already working with arranging appointments and transportation and connecting people with available services and resources.

“Officers understand that every individual’s situation is different, and KPD will continue to approach these situations with professionalism, compassion and respect while balancing the need to maintain safe, sanitary and accessible public spaces for everyone in the community,” the chief wrote.

Kijanowski wrote that Kewanee residents, churches and community organizations have “expressed a willingness to help,” and the police department is working with them to find solutions and resources for people experiencing hardship.

“This is a complex issue that communities across Illinois and the nation continue to face,” Kijanowski’s memo concluded. “We encourage respectful discussion, compassion for those in difficult situations and community involvement as these conversations continue moving forward.”

***This copy has been edited to reflect the accurate day of the week. The Kewanee City Council meeting took place on Tuesday, instead of Monday as originally reported. The meeting was held on Tuesday, instead of Monday, which was Memorial Day.