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Notes from Chicago Police Accountability Task Force Community Forum #1

Smart Chicago
23 min readApr 11, 2016

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Hosted by Mt. Vernon Baptist Church
JLM Life Center
2622 W. Jackson Blvd.

Prefatory notes

These are notes from the first of four community forums across the city to provide residents the opportunity to speak or submit written comments on improving the accountability, oversight and training of Chicago’s police officers.

The Smart Chicago Collaborative had three text documenters (who created this document), two videographers (Community TV Network, video here) and one photographer (Daniel X. O’Neil, images here, download them all here in hi res under Creative Commons 4.0 license) covering the meeting, which was hosted by the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force.

The Task Force itself also videotaped this meeting — see that here.

Very important disclaimer: this is an unofficial record of proceedings. We are certain that there are errors and omissions in this document. If you see an error, you are free to fix it — this document is editable by anyone with the link. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, contact Smart Chicago here.

Welcome

Late start 6:17PM, due to rain.

The welcome is conducted by the moderator, Darryl W. Dennard, Anchor and Producer, I Heart Media’s urban stations, Owner of Double D Productions.

Silence cell phones, there are interpreters, yellow staff badge people can be helpful with comment cards, interpreters, etc. Share comments using the comment cards. You can choose to have your comment read by the moderator rather than speak at the podium.

Acknowledges dignitaries present: Former Alderman Bob Fioretti Bob Fioretti, State Senator Patricia Van Pelt, 5th District.

Acknowledges members of the Police Board, who are seated at a table off to the left side of the stage: Ghian Foreman, Vice President, Partner, Maktub Development LLC, Rev. Michael Eaddy, Pastor, People’s Church of the Harvest, and John H. Simpson, Partner, Broadhaven Capital Partners

Acknowledges hosts: Reverend Johnny Lee Miller, Pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, and Karl A. Brinson, Westside NAACP Branch.

Reverend Johnny L. Miller arrives at the podium, welcomes and gives remarks. Acknowledges marchers, protesters, and workers. “Time out at the free throw line — let’s talk about it”

Mr. Dennard returns and explains the format for comments and questions. There will be two categories:

  • Speakers: those who want to make a comment or question from the microphone. There are two microphones, with podiums, set up at the front of two rows.
  • Non-Speakers: those who want their comment read, but choose not to go to the microphone

He explains that all people will be seated, and moderator will call for the next speaker up and read one of the non-speaker comments while the speaker makes their way to the microphone. Each speaker is given two minutes. This is to give everyone a chance to be heard. If you go beyond those two minutes, we are going to unfortunately going to have to do the Apollo Sandman Sims, and pull the hook. But we’ll do it in a respectful and gracious way.” One cannot defer any time to another. He speaks of general rules for respect, including not speaking over others, refraining from personal attacks, and so on. He mentions that the proceedings are being videotaped and it will be published to the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force website.

Task Force and Working Groups Overview

Introduction of Lori Lightfoot, Chair: “We believe this is a very important moment for our city”.

She describes five areas of work for the Task Force (as taken from their website):

OFFICER IDENTITY & VIDEO RELEASE POLICIES

How do we provide transparency in a timely fashion while ensuring that investigations are solid so that officers who abuse their authority are held accountable?

We will develop a common sense policy for the release of names of officers and videotape evidence related to serious police actions such as police-involved shootings and deaths in custody.

Sergio Acosta — Lead

DE-ESCALATION

How should Chicago police officers de-escalate situations so that they use an array of options and the use of force is not a primary option?

We are examining current Chicago Police Department policies, procedures and practices relating to de-escalation training, techniques, reporting and documentation and comparing them to best practices from around the country.

Alexa James — Lead

COMMUNITY & POLICE RELATIONS

How do we bridge the current gulf in relations between the police and the communities they serve, and instill respectful relations as a policing imperative?

We are reviewing policy, strategy, training and other issues related to community policing. We will recommend ways to develop genuine community engagement, based on understanding and respect. This will include methods to uncover and address bias — both conscious and unconscious.

Randolph Stone — Lead

EARLY INTERVENTION & PERSONNEL CONCERNS

What is the best way to design a personnel management system that identifies, rewards and models exemplary behavior?

Included in these recommendations will be a defined process for flagging problem behaviors and intervening at the earliest possible stage.

Lori E. Lightfoot — Lead

LEGAL OVERSIGHT & ACCOUNTABILITY

What legal infrastructure may be standing in the way of the City’s ability to implement the recommendations designed to bring about real change?

We are analyzing state statutes, collective bargaining agreements, general orders, ordinances and other policies and procedures that might be an impediment to true accountability, and will recommend changes.

Maurice Classen — Lead

Working Groups: “We intend to lay bare some very tough issues. Some very hard truths. Things we haven’t talked about in public before…and then use those as the springboard”

Lightfoot introduces others on the stage:

Lori Lightfoot ends by speaking about the fact that there are neighborhoods in our city that are under siege. And we need the police to be successful in those communities. Success is truly engaging the community in a partnership. We believe this is an opportunity for all of us to come together and speak in one voice.

Public Comments

There were approximately 133 members of the public at the start of the comment period.

Karl A. Brinson, Westside NAACP Branch (pic)

Speaks of a history of violating people of color’s human rights…We are seeking reform in three institutions today

The first institution is the department of police review. During the community of this trust, approved This entity was IPRA. However we have found that the IPRA is not independent. It can only recommend to CPD about what should happen to an officer. The police board makes the final determination on shootings between CPD and Currently IPRA is only allegations of the use of excessive force; Death in custody; Domestic violence; Allegations of off-duty misconduct; and weapons discharge incidents. We are working on a model of how IPRA should function. Officers rarely serve in their own neighborhoods, history has shown that violent officers patrol worse neighborhoods.

Second, CPD: institutional racism is an undercurrent…because racism is so hard to uncover, we wanted to make the opportunity to have professionals… After the problem has been identified. Here are some History has shown us that in our communities, these actions are less likely to be penalized.

Speaker is cut off and at 2 minutes. He is informed that the public can send written comments at any time. Online form here, includes file upload. Microphone was turned off, he requested it be turned on again, and it was.

Final institution needs reform is the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police. Their union protects members, unlike other unions they protect its members by doing nothing to ensure that criminal members suffer consequences. This is proven in contract. Many examples of policies that evade laws, policies that do not allow IPRA investigators to interview the shooters within 48 hours of shooting, they are given a period to deal with trauma, and to get their stories straight while victims’ families are kept in dark.

Miriam Perez (pic)

“I live in 9th District”. She has asked many questions of 311, but has not gotten answers. How many officers are assigned to a sector? How many officers are on the beat? Specifically beat #921? What happened to the DARE program? Why do retired cops organize at CAP meetings? I usually call 311 for CAP meetings. I want to know the responsibility for CPD for public announcements? Is it true that the only juvenile justice center on Ogden? I usually go the CAP meetings, and they usually don’t have any solutions. Why do I have to create a phone tree to get a response?

Lori Lightfoot talks about history of CAP, which is now a model for the nation. The specific questions will be answered, she says.

Reverend Dr. Floyd D. James, Pastor of Greater Rock Baptist Church, North Lawndale (pic)

Our community as a whole looks at the police department based on the observation from our perspective. One of the things we need to do is have more programs with more sensitivity training. We’ve talked about that over the years, but no progress. How to handle citizens having mental health episodes?

We want fair and equal treatment. Too many times police enter the communities that are poor and their treatment is less than it should be. Police need training each year, not just one time. Programs for our young people to be able to interact positively with the police. Most have had negative interactions with the police. They carry those interactions with them, because “the youth of today are not like the youth of yesterday”.

Non-Speaker

Mr. Jim Williams: what is being done to deal with mental health issues among the public?

Lori Lightfoot talks about de-escalation and alludes to training for mental health issues and being able to identify specific circumstances. Need to increase the number of officers trained in defusion w/o force.

David O’Bannon (pic)

Says he is not used to “speaking in front of crowds”. Has a suggestion for killing our teenagers who are unarmed: get rid of Rahm, Alvarez, McCarthy. “If we make sure the officers go to jail, other officers wouldn’t want to go.” Not just let them sit. Try it where they’re going to try it. Have some blacks on the jury. See to it that Officer Jason Van Dyke goes to jail. “If Jason Van Dyke goes to jail, that would scare some of these officers from gunning our innocent grandchildren down”.

Anonymous comment about making the IPRA (Independent Police Review Authority) more accountable and fair. Inspector General Joe Ferguson speaks to IPRA’s merits: We want to look at are they truly structurally separate? Do they have access to all information? Do they have the capacity to pursue their recommendations without influence? Are they staffed excessively from people who come from the police department? etc.

Non-Speaker

Mr. Terry: Make IPRA independent. Ferguson talks about the IPRA model and whether or not IPRA is actually independent. They will look at whether they are separate, have access to all information, capacity to pursue their recommendations w/o influence, how they are staffed, how they are trained. Look into structure and culture.

Pamela Hunt (pic)

Wishes there was a larger turnout. Says, “I’m going to put it where the goats can get it — at the heart of this is racism and racist officers and their behavior,” she says. “I don’t see anywhere in your working groups any psychologists, etc.” Black officers who commit police brutality, sometimes you absorb the behavior of your oppressor. Many of these officers are doing just that. As a black person, I need to get on the north side of Chicago and get the same treatment on the west side. “If you are not severely and whole heartedly dealing with racism, you are not going to get to the bottom of this issue”. “I want to be able to trust them when I call them, but I’ve also been a victim of police brutality”. “I’m asking you to please deal with the root of this. And you need another task force that’s talking about racism.” “Judgment and training goes out the window when you talk about racism”.

Victor Dickson & Randolph Stone address the question. “It’s not simply anecdotal. There is real data that addresses those issues as well.”

Non-Speaker

Why we don’t have black police forces. Why not have black officers police black neighborhoods rather than teaching officers how to deal with race? Lori Lightfoot responds and addresses segregation. What kind of training do we give officers who know nothing about the communities they serve? There is further discussion among other task force members. Ferguson addresses the idea of professionalism and behavior.

Ramile Teary, 2nd Vice-President, West Side NAACP (pic)

Pursuant to the Municipal Code of Chicago, (chapter 2–57)IPRA recommends discipline in sustained cases, it should be noted that disciplines, the final determination of discipline is made by superintendent, where is the independence? We need to make IPRA authority to be expanded, implement toxicology reports for officers who shoot, this can be done by city council amending the ordinant, ipra is not independent, to make a decision it must go back to police, police are policing themselves, that is wrong

Non-Speaker

Story of son being harrassed and abused by police. H

Gil Walker: Former director of resident programs for the Chicago Housing Authority, creator of programs, Hawthorne College basketball coach, “I’ve done everything”. (pic)

I want to commend task force and police board to look ahead, but you guys need to look at what worked, 17–26 males are crying out for discipline, but we need to foster programs, start putting money in programs, i’m asking you to google me, there’s programs that work, stop giving money to park districts and other programs that don’t work.

Non-speaker

Anonymous comment — Residents should be flagged and resolutions to break up the drug dealing should be solved. Raids don’t do much. “The home on my block has been raided 10 + times, and the drug violence continues”

State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (pic)

Thanks the board. Wanted to wait for residents to talk first. Appeal the arbitrator’s decision to destroy records. We need access to the videos. The vast majority of officers are good. The bad ones are just really bad. Wants to create another IPRA that collaborates with NAACP, ACLU, etc. We need them on the review board. Need to change union contracts that prevent punishment when killing citizens.

Anomymous comment — My father witnessed mistaken beating of robbery suspect and broken arm. Nothing was done to the officers. Lori Lightfoot encourages anonymous writer to report claim.

Non-Speaker

Majority of officers are good, ones that are bad just happen to be bad, we need an independent, appointed review board, appointed by orgs like NAACP, community renewal society, other orgs like this, these people can get different results on review board.

My father witnessed police beating up mistaken young men, police kept beating, my father took pictures then was arrested, a man had his arm broken, nothing happened to these officers.

Lightfoot urges the anonymous commenter to find a member of the staff and make a complaint for this serious matter.

Dialobe Lomumba: former gang member, Member of the Street Police Coalition (pic)

Police make false reports and incidents, will they be held accountable. a lot of this violence is orchestrated by police. They would bring people from one neighborhood and dropped off in another. They shoot people at night and blame it on gang bangers. We can’t keep accepting being killed and brutalized by police. we are getting brutalized everywhere. Speaks of the defense of black people and the need for black men to protect themselves.

Non-Speaker

Why aren’t policemen monitored like everyone else? They need to be graded once a year.

Cassandra Brown (pic)

I went through an incident in 2009. I was brutalized and taken from my home, they came into our house with a key, IPRA hasn’t done anything about what happened to me. Why does it take so long to help me? They didn’t read my rights, officer didn’t restrain me, put my life in danger, sped home, hit the brakes, threw me into the bars, asked to go to hospital, doctor didn’t help me in jail, they let me out, forced me to walk to the hospital, doctors gave me $7,000 bill because of this incident, officer detained her since he never read my rights, officer was also lady who put forth false charges’ boyfriend. This was personal. They are using their power to their advantage

Non-speaker

Why are black people killed disproportionately? Why are white complaints more investigated? Why does city have major stop and frisk problem? Ferguson addresses these issues — there are existing rules that are not followed.

Malcolm Crawford, founder and director of the African-American Business Networking Association

Been here all my life, things look like they’re moving in right direction in comparison to past. As a young man one of things that helped me was police explorer program, we wore uniform and left communities to do things at police station. The 15th District needs black sergeant.

There’s nobody at 25th district, they have higher up lieutenant. need a black sgt. in places where convicts are black. officers turn their sirens on from harlem to oak park for lunch, they need to stay in community for awhile, so they can be closer and not have to rush back for lunch

Non-speaker (Thomas Wo)

What effective measurement will police use to reduce the number of black people killed on the street?

Evangel Yanubiyan (pic)

Before we re-establish trust, we need respect for Jim Crow survivors. I’m 72 years old, I’ve never known an Officer Friendly. We used to have a sign that said We Call Police, now we don’t call police. I call the FOI. Why can’t we have a private police like they have in the University of Chicago? Now he’s suing out of fear. The officer has to be taken off the force not be put on desk duty. Will the new supt. deal with that?

Non-speaker

Are there ongoing mandatory trainings on mental health? If this is implemented in policy procedure, there would be a decrease in deaths.

Douglas Bevel (pic)

Why is everybody afraid of the police union? This is an org that works against the citizens of the city. They’re behind the destruction of the records, protecting the officers. I think that contract need to go. And I think the officers should demand a better union. These records are city property, they’re historical, they belong to the public. The union in a back door stinky deal wants to destroy them on March 15 but they have a hearing days later. Why are the officers that lie on the reports not fired? Makes me feel like it’s all a charade. Y’all have work to do.

Non-speaker

Is it feasible to intro program so citizens know their constitutional rights when dealing with officers? What can be done to filter the caliber of person allowed to become a police officer?

T.C. McLinn, former Chicago police officer (pic)

I took over 300 guns off the city, never shot anybody. I’m an expert at this. You need people who look like you to work in your community. You had someone shot 15 times. Another shot 6 times. We need to sit down and quit playing. We having a meeting tonight, we gonna have a riot tomorrow. These young people are not playing.

Non-speaker

There’s 90% of good officers on the police force.

Rebecca Raines, Criminal Chair, West Side NAACP

I want to address solutions on race. We’re not just talking about the officer-to-civilian racial incidents, but also officer to officer. African American officers are underrepresented in the department. Black Chicagoans are more likely to be abused by police officers but less likely to be believed by IPRA.

She read from a footnote to this complaint: COMPLAINT SUBMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DOCUMENTING THE ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT POLICE REVIEW AUTHORITY IN PERPETUATING A CODE OF SILENCE AND CULTURE OF VIOLENCE IN THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. Specifically:

See Emmanuel and Newman, supra note 60; Angela Caputo, Data: Black Chicagoans at

Higher Risk of Being Shot by Police, Chicago Reporter (January 23, 2014), available at

http://chicagoreporter.com/data-black-chicagoans-higher-risk-being-shot-police/.

Racial bias is also evident in IPRA’s disparate treatment of officers accused of

misconduct. IPRA is twice as likely to sustain an excessive force complaint against a

black officer than a white one. See Tanveer Ali, Black Officers Twice as Likely to Be

Punished by CPD: Data, DNAinfo (November 10, 2015), available at

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151110/bronzeville/repeat-excessive-forceoffenders-within-cpd-rarely-punished-data-shows.

In a related trend, African-American police officers are underrepresented on the Chicago Police Department, particularly at the supervisory and command levels. See, e.g., Glen Reedus, As Police Commander’s Trial Nears, a “Black in Blue” Legacy is in the Spotlight, CHICAGO REPORTER (October 19, 2015), available at http://chicagoreporter.com/as-police-commanders-trial-nears-a-black-inblue-legacy-is-in-the-spotlight/.

Non-speaker

How can the police improve drug usage behind libraries, especially in Garfield Park?

Charmaine Ricket, Uncle Remus Chicken

My business has been in the west side by over 50 years. Workforce development is designed to help ex offenders to be re introduced to the workforce. I take pride in that because they have to be rebuilt. 75% of the people she She employs They’re still looked at as ex cons and treated unfairly by the police.

Dickson talks about the need for a task force to talk about bringing employment opportunity to the south and west sides. Connecting people to resources.

Non-speaker

Can the police patrol our community at a slower pace and stop running all the red lights and stop signs? Make all department tactical officers

Rinelle Perry, West Side NAACP (pic)

Re: FOP contract. Officer Van Dyke is probably not very worried right now, because we can’t look past 5 years of his misconduct according to the contract. It has been accelerated to get these records destroyed. Speaks of Rule 14 and the provision that officers must be given access to all evidence before making a statement. Go to the website and read the police rules and regulations. What are we doing about the FLP contract that is allowing that systemic behavior?

Lightfoot: we are looking at all regulations, FOP contract, state regulations, and general orders.

Non-speaker

Is there an effort to encourage police officers to attend these forums in order to gain trust of the public? It’s important

Gordon Walker, Chicago Council of Lawyers (pic)

They have a number of recommendations (example). Section of collective bargaining agreement that allows officers view audio and video to change their statements. Chicago teachers and traffic control aids, etc. are not given this treatment. A citizen is not given this opportunity. We recommend the FOP to voluntarily repeal that provision.

Non-speaker

Officers should volunteer for a few weeks every year or two in the community.

Don Davis — not present

Serethia Reed (pic)

Re: accountability. Lived in two communities with a sharp contrast. My community doesn’t know who the beat officers are. We want them to get out of the cars and connect. There are best practices in all service providing models. There is a plan to have more transparency and accountability. Is there one in 2016 to track citizen police interaction in order to evaluate surface metrics such a response time and action taking?

Beat officers, what does that mean? People want police to get off the car and connect. Is there a plan to make available to the public the means to track within a reasonable time citizen-police interaction?

Lori Lightfoot responds saying there is technology available to track those types of interactions. It’s been brought to our attention previously. We are issuing a report that goes to the city and DOJ. We will make our findings and recommendations available.

Non-speaker

Can task force order forensic audits? The city pays a base officer and at the same time has been encouraged officers to be more accountable

Former Alderman Bob Fioretti (pic)

Ten years ago did a case help a young man get out of jail. Sued the city and made the largest settlement ever. Criticized by superintendent. When got into the City Council, author of individual who pushed transparency and accountability. If we’re going to have transparency and accountability in our communities, we need to be free when we call 911 to make sure that our sons and daughters don’t get shot. 6 years ago I was criticized by city council because I asked that our police force should reflect the diversity of our communities. Start with CAPs meetings. We need training. Police officers have a problem too maybe with their wife or their partner. We’re talking about sensitizing the police officer, but we need to also sensitize the command staff to know who their people are. Can the task force order forensics?

Non-speaker

Is it legal for the police to hold people incognito at Homan Square or any place else without access to lawyers? What is being done about this?

Eric Russell, spokesperson for Betty Jones family (pic)

They wanted to attend but once again they were traumatized and the police was at the center of it. Bettie Jones did not deserve to die. I had to go pick up her grandson out of jail today. He was taken in from the basketball court. The first thing he said was, Eric, I thought they were gonna kill me. Why is a 12 year old kid locked up with adults? The police drove him out in his shorts with his school things in a garbage bag. The CPD lied to the medical examiner? They didn’t even come clean the scene.

Non-speaker

What is the power that your regulatory body has to implement changes?

Audience member asks about the records. Lori Lightfoot says she’s not involved in the litigation. The city is opposing the destruction of those records.

Senator Van Pelt comes back and says City needs to appeal to arbitrator’s decision.

Nolton Johnson, Director of Community Relations, Bobby E. Wright Comprehensive Health Center

There is no mental health representation on the panel and I did invite a doctor to come out, but he was unable. Rashad Safir is CEO of Bobby E. Wright couldn’t be here tonight. Rev. James made a mention of the issue of police sensitivity and it has not been taken serious. When I talked about a mental health concern in African American communities, it wasn’t taken seriously. Now I hear about mental health. But we’re not just talking about people that have been diagnosed. We have people that have been undiagnosed. We have people who hate the police and police that hate the people they are policing. Cultural competence and sensitivity training has to be a part of the police academy.

When will we received the specifics of the overview tonight? Follow-up to question about when we will receive the specifics. Lori Lightfoot says report will be available by March 31, 2016.

Non-speaker

When the police pay settlements, the money comes from citizens. Why can’t this money come from police pensions? Defund the police and fund education.

Thomas Dorsey, retired Illnois State Police Officer and Chicago Police Officer (pic)

10 black policemen made up the Afro American Patrolman’s League (wikipedia). The CPD was discriminating black police officers. Worked with former Superintendent LeRoy Martin. Worked at 23rd and Damen. I was amazed to find out there was more of a criminal element in the police department than out in the streets. I have a reputation of, “don’t work with Dorsey, he’s clean”. He calls for the rejuvenation of the AAPL. You are your brothers keeper. We need to make sure they protect and serve. An officer killed someone with a taser two years ago, how do they help?

Deonde Brown Whitfield (pic)

I’m pleased to see some familiar faces. I’ve been volunteering over 40 years, I’m outspoken. I am a victim of an incident, but received notification last week that it’s not considered to be a police crime because I didn’t have a video to substantiate what happened to me.

Non-speaker

An officer is currently suing the family of the unarmed child that he killed? How is that possible and why aren’t officers organizing around the family?

Mr. Bass is no longer here.

Wayvon Davis (pic)

Since 2004, police brutality has cost the city $625M. We could’ve built schools. I want a cap on citizen’s financial liability for police officers. A 2-year officer has zero financial leeway. If an officer costs the city money, they should be terminated and loss of pension. John Burge costs this city 80 million dollars. if an entry level teacher is paid 50k/year, we could have hired 1600 teachers. We closed 50 schools. I’m sure $625,000,000 dollars could have created jobs. Don’t destroy the records. That’s an order.

Non-speaker

11th district do not watch cameras and use them to fight crime. It is not only dashcam manipulation. There is camera manipulation.

Romero Mimms (pic)

Why is it that you all are put in charge of doing something, but don’t do it? Why y’all getting paid? There is no such thing as a nice cop. 90% are good? They’re lying. You don’t see these people playing games with us. Black people are worse, because you know the truth. Say what it is. Cocaine and heroin is not made in America. Why are we paying them? Why are Americans being abused by something not made in this country? It’s all a joke to me. Nothing’s been done. You called it the war on drugs in the 80s. But we have lost that war. Who’s neighborhood has lost that war? You know how many complaints I’ve gotten filed with them? About ten of them. Do not send no police to my house investigating not police. Are you crazy? They come to our house with guns. We’re tired of this foolishness. This is foolishness.

Non-speaker

Psychologist of psychiatrist on the CPD and task force. Have officer information on the CPD website.

Marianne Jackson, Circuit Judge, Juvenile Justice Division, Calendar 61, Austin (pic)

Police shouldn’t be allowed to curse at citizens, they are the professionals. Police can’t call people niggers. People can’t say, sit your black-ass down. If you tell those things to people, it goes from zero to eight in seconds. I tell people in my courtroom, if you made a mistake you need to fess up. If the police makes a mistake, same. They should’ve been at Bettie Jones house cleaning the blood.

Alderman Jason Ervin (pic)

We know what the problem is and people are expressing those problems. The point of mistrust. Someone said they were pulled over in another city and weren’t left feeling like less of a man. When we work to reduce crime by any means necessary, it has caused us more harm. We will not fix problems without a serious conversation and admission by the CPD that someone is seriously wrong. I pray that we get some solid change out of this process.

Lori Lightfoot responds that they are committed to making that difference. Plan is for the Mayor and the City Council to adopt recommendations.

Non-speaker

Police ride in the vans rather than walk the beat. Lightfoot indicates that these specific concerns relating to policing practices will be addressed.

Warren Barkonian (pic)

I don’t believe you guys are gonna change jack. This has been going on for over 50 years. It’s nothing new. It’s some BS. So I’m gonna speak to you guys (turns to the audience). If you want something to change you have to change it. They’re not, they’re not gonna do it. You have to get out and vote, you have to demonstrate, you have to hurt their pockets, and they’re gonna listen to you. And I don’t mean no disrespect to you guys. I’ve been living here for over 60 years and this is not new, and you know it, please, get some courage, do your part, you can change things. Stop playing with people. The Chicago Police Department is the worse gang Chicago has ever had. Please do your job. I’m a former CPD and former gangbanger, and I’ve seen this from both sides. There’s no consequences.

Moderator says he’s not getting paid. He’s doing this to be of service to his community.

Warren responds, “if it don’t apply, let it fly”.

Non-speaker

What about the internal racism within the department? The black officers are scared.

NAACP member reads from the Chicago Police code of conduct and rules and regulations. The answers are supposed to already be here. We just have to execute what we already have.

Meeting concludes, 8:32 PM

Police Brutality
BlackLivesMatter
Chicago

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