Secret letters make it harder for the public to trust the police

Why do so many Chicagoans distrust the Chicago police?

At least one reason stands out with yesterday’s news related to the 2015 shooting deaths of Quintonio LeGrier and Bettie Jones:

The city sought to keep secret Supt. Eddie Johnson’s letter detailing his rationale against firing Officer Robert Rialmo, who fatally shot LeGrier and Jones while responding to a 911 call.

The Sun-Times obtained that letter, in which Johnson said that Rialmo, now on desk duty, was justified in the shootings. The superintendent rejected the findings of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which recommended that Rialmo be fired.

Surely the public deserved better than a leaked letter to learn of Johnson’s decision and rationale in a high-profile, controversial case like this. And with two civilians dead, openness would have better served the department, too. Secrecy breeds more suspicion, and the department’s reputation for honesty and professionalism already is in tatters, especially in the African-American community. Better to face the music if police ever hope to repair that breach.

The shootings occurred when Rialmo and his partner responded to a 911 call from LeGrier’s father seeking help with the 19-year-old, who was having a mental health crisis. Jones, who lived in the downstairs apartment of the two-flat and had opened the front door for police, was hit by one of the bullets.

Johnson said the shootings were justified because LeGrier was armed with a bat and standing only a few feet from Rialmo when Rialmo fired. (Last year, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx declined to file criminal charges against Rialmo.)

The decision isn’t final. Johnson and COPA — and he’s sparred with COPA previously in this case, over access to evidence that he says he was initially denied — now have to try to work out their differences and reach a consensus. If they can’t, the case goes to a single member of the Police Board, who can either side with Johnson and end the matter, or side with COPA and send the case to the full board for a hearing.

If Chicago is ever going to have real police reform, the public has to be able to trust the integrity of the accountability process. For the public to trust the process, we have to trust those making the decisions. For us to trust the decision-makers, they have to be worthy of that trust.

Johnson, City Hall and COPA take note: You aren’t worthy if you aren’t transparent.

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