DANVILLE — Solutions to gun violence in Danville continues to be a heated topic.
Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. was very disappointed at some of the comments made by Alderman Ed Butler and Alderwoman Tricia Teague at last week’s city council meeting. While he was unable to attend because of official city business in Chicago and Washington, D.C., Williams felt some of Butler’s and Teague’s remarks were just wrong.
“I haven’t had an opportunity to listen to everything,’’ said Williams on Tuesday after a Danville Police Promotion Ceremony. “But the highlights that I did see were just terrible. For Alderwoman Teague and Alderman Butler to speak about our police as they did and to speak as if they are not doing everything that they can to solve crime is disgraceful.’’
Since the shooting death of Aniyah Davis in June at Winter Park there has been a Town Hall meeting presented by Project Success and there was a vigil at Temple Plaza present by Danville Restoring Our Community.
At each of these events, the rhetoric about the Danville Police Department has seemingly escalated and Williams had a problem with some council members apparently blaming the police.
“We have a problem in our justice system, not a problem with our police officers. People need to recognize that,’’ Williams said. “When they turn folks against the people that are out here doing everything they can to keep us safe, then we have a major problem. Especially elected officials, who are supposed to be the ones that are here helping us solve issues instead of creating them.
“When they create a wedge in between the police officers and the people that we serve, and they are talking about unsolved murders. They just made it harder to solve murders because the people trust the police less when their elected officials tell them the police aren’t doing their job. They should be absolutely ashamed.’’
Williams noted there is a woman currently in Danville that has been arrested for stabbing one person and shooting another.
“Two weeks ago, I was walking into Wal-Mart and who walked by me, but someone that we know has stabbed and shot people — and yet are free on the streets,’’ Williams said.
Some have suggested that Danville take an approach similar to Baltimore, Md., which is seeing historically low murder rates for 2025 with a more than 40% drop since 2020, but according to U.S. News and World Report, the city is ranked fourth most dangerous.
“Baltimore? Come on. They have had some improvements and we thank God for that, but guess what, I will put our numbers up against theirs any day,’’ Williams said.
He told all of the members of the Danville Police Department at the promotion ceremony, “continue to do the good work. Continue to stand strong. You represent yourself. You represent me. You represent Chief (Chris) Yates, the department, this city and all police officers. I think, overall, you do a damn fine job.
“Keep up the good work and just know that we have your back.’’
Alderwoman Teague declined the opportunity to comment after Tuesday’s Danville Public Services Meeting.