JOLIET – State Senator Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) issued a statement following the Joliet Police Department’s release of body camera footage of David Malito that occurred on Dec. 25, 2024:

“This video is incredibly hard to watch. Mr. Malito was clearly having a reaction to a substance during the time of arrest. But by the end we see a man face down on the ground, struggling to breathe while an officer kneels on his back and neck area and I’m left with more questions than answers.”

“This incident comes on the heels of a series of reports of wrongdoings from the Joliet Police Department. There have got to be better ways to handle these situations.

“As the local Senator, I’m committed to helping find resources and identify additional or alternative training in hope of never seeing one of these videos again and to restore the public’s trust in our police department.

“Like so many others, I have questions about what has happened. I will be meeting with the Joliet Police Department next week and gathering additional information and remain committed to working with the Illinois Attorney General to investigate the findings in their recent report and identify more training in situations dealing with mental health or substance abuse.”