Emanuel Not Resigning, Says Call For Civil Rights Investigation Of CPD Is "Misguided"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday said he has no plans to resign amid pressure stemming from the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, and said he thinks it would be "misguided" to open a federal civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department, with federal prosecutors already looking into the shooting.
During a live interview with Politico, the mayor said he has not considered stepping down, even as protesters have demanded his resignation for the city's handling of the McDonald case.
He also said he disagrees with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a civil rights investigation into the practices of the Chicago Police Department, to determine whether they violate the Constitution or federal law.
Specifically, Madigan has asked for an investigation into the CPD's policies on use of force; its procedures for reviewing and investigating officers' use of force and allegations of misconduct; and its training and supervision of officers. She also asked the Justice Department to determine whether there is a pattern of discriminatory policing.
Emanuel noted federal prosecutors already are investigating how the city handled McDonald's death, when he was shot 16 times last October by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke.
"Like everybody else, I await their conclusions. They are looking into this situation and everything … all the aspects around it. I think an additional layer prior to the completion of this, in my view, would be misguided," he said.
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Emanuel said if more work needs to be done after federal prosecutors complete their probe, "we need to deal with it."
"Until that's done, given how long we are at this, given from the incident and the tapes being turned over, hitting the restart button is not going to get us to the comprehensive solution," he said. "Given all the work that's been done, I wouldn't want to start over, because it's going to take time."
However, Madigan said her request for a civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department is separate from a federal criminal probe of the McDonald case.
"This is a very specific request for what is referred to out of the civil rights division as a pattern and practice investigation; so, to look into whether any of the practices by CPD violate the Constitution or federal law, but civilly," she said in a phone interview with WBBM Newsradio.
Madigan said such federal civil rights investigations have been done in other cities, and she believes Chicago needs one.
