Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-78-120 to modify powers and duties of Civilian Office of Police Accountability to include conducting investigations into complaints made against members of Police Department

Votes › 26th Ward: Jessica L. Fuentes

• Record number: O2025-0020004
• Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Jessica L. Fuentes (26th Ward)
• Co-sponsors (14): Felix Cardona Jr. (31st Ward), Angela Clay (46th Ward), Ruth Cruz (30th Ward), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14th Ward), Maria E. Hadden (49th Ward), Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), Bennett R. Lawson (44th Ward), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward), Matthew J. Martin (47th Ward), Emma Mitts (37th Ward), Anthony J. Quezada (35th Ward), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33rd Ward), Michael D. Rodriguez (22nd Ward), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40th Ward)
• Committee: Joint Committee: Police and Fire; Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• Introduction Date: Sep 25, 2025
• Final Action Date: Mar 18, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed Mar 18, 2026

50 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Fuentes, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Mar 18, 2026.

Yea (50): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: Joint Comm. Letter 2025-0020005.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This is a committee report about a proposed change to city law that would give the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) the power to investigate complaints that police officers violated the Welcoming City Ordinance (Chapter 2-173). A joint meeting of the Committee on Police and Fire and the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights was held on January 20, 2026. The committees recommend that the full City Council pass the ordinance.

• Would amend Municipal Code Section 2-78-120, which sets COPA's powers and duties.
• COPA would be able to investigate complaints against Police Department members alleging violations of the Welcoming City Ordinance (Chapter 2-173).
• The joint committees met in person on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
• All committee members present for the quorum roll call voted in favor of recommending passage.
• Signed by Chairmen Christopher Taliaferro (Police and Fire) and Andre Vasquez (Immigrant and Refugee Rights).

Who: This affects the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, members of the Chicago Police Department, and people who file complaints alleging violations of the Welcoming City Ordinance.

Timeline

• Sep 25, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• Jan 27, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Joint Committee: Police and Fire; Immigrant and Refugee Rights. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
• Feb 18, 2026: Deferred and Published, City Council. At the request of Alderpersons Tabares, Beale, Lopez, and Napolitano, the matter was deferred and published.
• Mar 18, 2026: Passed, City Council (50 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Fuentes, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

• w26 - amend.pdf (Legislation)
• Joint Comm. Letter 2025-0020005.pdf (Committee Letter)

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