Activists Call For Elected Police Oversight Agency
UPDATED: 7/6/2016 4 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Advocates for an elected civilian police oversight board turned out for a City Council hearing on police accountability Wednesday afternoon.
The council's Budget Committee and Public Safety Committee were holding two days of public hearings on police reforms.
Frank Chapman, head of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, said he doesn't think most aldermen will listen to the voices of the people, but his group is demanding an elected Civilian Police Accountability Council to deal with allegations of police misconduct.
"You can't get on no kind of moral platform and tell anybody nothing about terrorism or anything else that you're talking about, so long as your allowing people with blue uniforms on and badges to perpetrate that sort of thing against our people," Chapman said.
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel already has said he plans to replace the Independent Police Review Authority with a new police oversight agency, although he has not offered any specifics, other than to say citizen involvement will be key. The mayor has said details will be worked out with aldermen.
Meantime, the U.S. Justice Department was continuing its investigation of Chicago Police Department policies and procedures, and whether there is systematic bias.
Activist Mike Elliot demanded an elected civilian board that would oversee police.
"We have a long history of appointed boards and people who are supposed to oversee police violence and accountability in this city and they have failed miserably."
Chicago Urban League CEO Shari Runner said the city council was holding hearings at times--Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning--that are not convenient for working Chicagoans.
"City leaders must hear from those most affected in our city, the residents of many neighborhoods across the city where the police are no longer trusted."
