CPD Consent Decree Filed In Federal Court
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan along with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson filed a proposed consent decree in federal court.
Madigan said it will lead to real and lasting reform for the Chicago Police Department.
"Today is a historic day for the city of Chicago," said Madigan. "It has taken over a year to get to this day but it has taken our city a generation to get here."
The document includes hundreds of requirements that'll cover virtually all of the department's operations. It has provisions recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice as well as changes that go beyond DOJ recommendations, according to Madigan.
The Illinois Attorney General, Emanuel and Johnson released a draft of the decree back in July. More than 1,000 comments from the general public were submitted on the decree. Madigan and the city of Chicago agreed on a sticking point: that police report every time a firearm is pointed at someone.
"Today's consent decree announcement represents our permanent road map to improving the quality of service of the Chicago Police Department and implementing systemic improvements for our officers to effectively safeguard our city," said Johnson.
The consent decree will also expand the authority of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) to put together administrative investigations of officer-involved sexual misconduct.
A federal judge will review the consent decree and the public will have more opportunities to weigh in on the document.
The American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement supporting the need for reform while at the same time questioning whether enough community input was detailed.
"Today is another critical step in the process of bringing much-needed reform to policing in Chicago. We are pleased that the City and AG provided a forum for the voices of Chicago residents and community groups. For reform to be successful, the consent decree needs this community input in the reform. To that end, we are now beginning to assessing whether these voices were incorporated into the agreement."
The union representing most of the officers in the Chicago Police Department said the reform plans are "unnecessary and counterproductive." In a statement, the organization's president Kevin Graham
Chicago's police union says an updated plan to reform the department under court supervision is Kevin Graham, who heads the Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge 7, said it "will have a devastating effect upon policing in Chicago."
Graham added it would undermine the union's collective bargaining agreement with the city.
A link to the consent decree can be found here.
