Antioch police stand by decision to skip commendation for BLM founder after park knife attack

Clyde McLemore, the founder of Black Lives Matter Lake County, argues that the Antioch Police Department ignored his role in a July 11 knife attack at Sequoit Creek Park due to racial bias. While the department commended his white colleague for intervening during the incident, they excluded McLemore from the recognition. This decision has sparked a public debate over how the village evaluates the contributions of security personnel during emergencies.

The dispute originated when McLemore addressed the Antioch Village Board on September 23. He stated that he and his partner faced the same life-threatening danger from three armed suspects. However, surveillance footage from the park complicates his account. A camera near the gazebo shows his colleague, wearing a black shirt marked SAFETY, repeatedly stepping between the attackers and a victim on the ground. In the same footage, McLemore, wearing a cap, is not clearly visible during the confrontation. A wider camera captures him walking away from the gazebo toward approaching police lights while his colleague remains beside the victim.

McLemore works for Per Mar Security Services, which the village hired in July to patrol the park. Although he claims to be a licensed security officer, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s online database shows no registration card for him. State law allows agencies to deny such cards based on criminal history. Court records indicate McLemore has three felony convictions in Lake County, including aggravated battery and unlawful use of recorded sounds. Per Mar did not respond to requests for comment regarding his employment status.

The incident involved suspects Mitchell Alcock, Nicholas Pluta, and Brian Marciniak, all of whom were charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Alcock allegedly held a knife to a victim’s neck, while Pluta chased another victim with a blade. The police department initially recognized the security team’s intervention. In July, Patrol Commander Jared Brussaly noted that the officers attempted to protect patrons until one suspect turned their attention to the security staff.

Following McLemore’s complaint, Antioch Assistant Village Administrator Jim Moran said the police department conducted a thorough re-evaluation of the events. He stated that after reviewing the response and subsequent actions, the department determined no additional commendations were warranted beyond the officer already recognized. The village board has not yet responded to the public comments raised by McLemore and Dr. Sandra Leconte, the NAACP Lake County Branch president, who called for a reconsideration and an apology.

The next step in the process remains with the village administration. The board has not issued a formal statement or vote regarding the audit McLemore requested. The police department maintains that their original assessment of the security team's actions was accurate. McLemore continues to serve on the Lake County Regional Board of School Trustees, having been elected in 2025.