Police Reform
Coverage of civil action, news events and policy change pertaining to policing in Chicago, Illinois and the U.S.
The officers chased Vesmo Banks, 35, after they saw him leave a stolen vehicle last month, police said.
A lengthy list of requirements includes living in the city for the last five years, and not working for CPD, COPA or the Police Board in that time. The deadline to apply is noon on Feb. 7. Out of 14 nominees, the mayor will choose seven.
Arbitrator Edwin Benn said state law guarantees Chicago police officers accused of the most serious wrongdoing the right to bypass the Police Board in favor of arbitration. Benn also criticized Mayor Brandon Johnson and the 33 City Council members who rejected his earlier ruling.
While CPD is the main focus of the decree — and has the farthest way to go to meet its terms — the inspector general’s office had been among several other agencies still being scrutinized by the feds.
The officers worked with ex-Sgt. Ronald Watts, who is tied to at least 230 exonerations.
The supervisor didn’t show up to assume control of the scene and didn’t notify the Bureau of Internal Affairs, sources said.
She’s suing, saying she was removed from her homicide unit job and told to seek a new assignment after making the accusations to senior officials and Internal Affairs.
Mayor Brandon Johnson was forced to call for a recess after public observers gathered in the third-floor gallery overlooking the City Council chambers banged on the glass and shouted from their seats.
The settlement goes to the City Council for approval at Wednesday’s meeting. It would go to the children of Michael Craig, 61, who was shot and killed by police in 2021 after Craig called 911, saying his wife had “a knife on me, on the bed, on my throat.”
Over strong objection from the Fraternal Order of Police and its Council allies, the committee voted to reject an arbitrator’s ruling that would allow officers accused of serious wrongdoing to bypass the Police Board and hold proceedings behind closed doors.
A City Council panel today could allow the main union for cops to contest firings and long suspensions behind closed doors.
The payouts from the 300 cases have included $140 million that went to lawyers for the city and $537 million paid to plaintiffs.
Expanding leased space near City Hall is crucial, Council committee members were told, but some members said that using vacant space in their wards would save money.
Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, joined the chairman of the City Council’s Police Committee in sounding the alarm about restrictions so severe, they have contributed heavily to an alarming citywide surge in robberies.
The unit had a backlog of 2,702 cases in July, which has nearly doubled to 5,116, an official told U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer.
The $16.77 billion plan, approved 41-8, holds the line on taxes and increases spending for an array of popular programs. But it also relies on one-time revenues and budgets far too little for the migrant crisis.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first budget is expected to sail through the Chicago City Council on Wednesday. It’s balanced in part with $786.5 million in one-time revenues. The search for new revenue sources has been punted to a Council subcommittee.
A Chicago police officer was accused of sexual assault. The top cop pushed to keep him on the force.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability found the officer engaged in a series of nonconsensual sex acts in 2020 against the woman, who reported he attacked her when she fell asleep at her home after they attended a banquet.
Waller, a self-described “old school” former cop, is now a top deputy to Supt. Larry Snelling, who is refining his plans for the city’s policing.
The Chicago Police Department had complied with about 80% of the consent decree’s mandated changes by June 30 but was in full compliance with just 6% of the decree, according to the monitor’s latest report.
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability on Thursday recommended the city’s inspector general investigate officers named on an Oath Keepers list so any extremists can be “rooted out” of the department.
Anthony Driver, who heads the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, said the commonalities he has discovered between police and the public has been the “defining moment” of his 14-month tenure.
The Chicago City Council is being urged to reject the arbitrator’s ruling, which would shield the most serious disciplinary cases from public view.
The ruling would allow Chicago police officers accused of the most serious wrongdoing to bypass the board and take their cases to an arbitrator behind closed doors.
Elizabeth French spoke during a hearing in which Eric Morgan pleaded guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, battery with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to seven years.
Judge Lawrence Flood ruled the police officers were within their rights to protect themselves when they opened fire first, shooting Miguel Medina last year.
The officer was arrested in 2018 but was only suspended. A new investigation was launched when the wife told police he punched her in the face and pointed a gun at her.
A Cook County judge is expected to hand down a verdict Thursday for the two Chicago police officers charged with shooting the man last summer in Pilsen.
“Overall, this was encouraging — and a bit of a relief,” said Amanda Pyron of the Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence.
“Let’s not take steps back,” Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) told reporters Thursday. “Let’s keep working together to make sure that cops are held accountable.”