Davenport Police Chief to city council: Finding Breasia Terrell is priority
Chief Sikorski updated the Davenport City Council on the investigation at Wednesday's Committee of the Whole meeting.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski assured the Davenport City Council that finding 10-year-old Breasia Terrell, who went missing on Friday, is his department’s number one priority right now.
“As soon as we learned that Breasia was missing, it has been our number one priority and will continue to be until we find her,” Chief Sikorski said at Wednesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.
According to Sikorski, Davenport Police Dept. is working alongside local, county, state and federal investigators. An intelligence room has been setup within the station where DPD, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working out of. The FBI Task Force is also relaying information to their Behavioral Analysis Unit
“We’re coordinating with many different agencies,” Sikorski said, “One of the things I will apologize for is I would really love to give you every piece of information I have. I can’t do that and I apologize for that. I apologize to the community for that, because I know everybody wants to know what we’re doing. I’m telling you we’re doing everything possible we can do.”
Sikorski said it has become difficult coordinating search efforts with volunteers in the Quad Cities who want to help. Beginning Thursday, the Emergency Management Agency will work with law enforcement and volunteer search groups. The public can check for updates on Davenport Police Dept.’s website and Facebook page.
“The EMA is going to help us with the coordination of volunteers when we have specific areas that we need help searching,” Chief Sikorski said.
He also addressed the Amber Alert sent out early Wednesday morning, days after Terrell was reported missing.
“More information was developed which caused us to then have the ability. The criteria were met to issue an amber alert. We didn’t have all of the criteria initially to actually have that alert sent by the state. Those are state rules, not ours,” Sikorski said, “Last night we gathered more information that put us over the edge.”
According to guidelines, the following criteria must be met:
- Law enforcement has to confirm a child has been abducted and entry has been made into the Iowa National Crime Information Center Systems, identifying the child as missing
- The child is under the age of 18
- Law enforcement believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death
- There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, or suspect’s vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
Davenport 7th Ward Alderman Patrick Peacock told Sikorski the city has a perception problem regarding the Breasia’s disappearance.
“The perception is that if a young white girl goes missing, the whole city seems to go on lockdown. Everybody and their mother seems to care,” Alderman Peacock said, “But when a young black girl goes missing it seems that no one cares. What I’m asking is what can we do to better paint the picture of yes we are doing the best we can in the city?”
In response, Chief Sikorski said he understands emotions are running high, but the one goal is to find Breasia.
“That is it. And I understand that people, when they don’t hear all the things that are being done behind the scenes, it can seem like maybe not enough is being done,” Sikorski said, “I can assure you that Breasia is our number one priority as an agency.”
10-year-old Breasia Terrell is four feet five inches tall, 75 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, flip flops and shorts. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, you are asked to call 911.
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