Watch CBS News

Aldermen Still Have Lots Of Questions About New Police Oversight Plan

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel has said he is willing to wait for a vote on his proposals to create a new agency to investigate police shootings and allegations of police misconduct, but some aldermen said the plan needs a lot more work and scrutiny.

Some aldermen complained the proposed Civilian Office on Police Accountability includes no provision for community oversight. The mayor said that can be worked out later, and he acknowledged language on how the office will be funded is absent, as well.

"First of all, the ordinance hasn't been put out, so I'm not going to negotiate like that. I think it would erode the good will and the trust that's been established. We're going to listen to each other. Certain things we'll agree on, certain things we won't," he said.

Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) has co-sponsored an alternative ordinance to replace the Independent Police Review Authority with a new civilian-based police oversight agency, and she said those kinds of details are important.

She said she can't live with approving the structure now and oversight later.

"As this administration has shown time and time again, they cannot be trusted at their word," she said.

Podcast

Hairston said aldermen should wait until all the elements of the new agency are worked out before voting on any of them.

Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd), a fellow member of the City Council Progressive Caucus, also raised questions about how much control Emanuel would have over the agency, so he is still undecided on the mayor's plan.

"Where does the buck stop is the main question, and to some extent the mayor has a point saying, 'Look, you want me to fix this? I should have some authority.' But that is within the administration's bureaucracy. In this case we're talking about an oversight, a civilian oversight board that needs to be truly independent, and how we negotiate that – how we get there – is going to be talked about over the next several months," he said.

The mayor had wanted to hold a hearing on his proposal for the new police oversight agency on Sept. 13, and call for a City Council vote the next day, but he has backed off that timing given the hesitation many aldermen have shown to voting so quickly.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.