# Committee on Police and Fire meeting, May 14, 2024

- When: Tue, May 14, 2024, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: [Committee on Police and Fire](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/police-and-fire)
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/9823060/video/945891860
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/945891860.txt) (14,587 words, official captions)

## Meeting notes

> AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The Committee on Police and Fire, chaired by Alderperson Chris Taliaferro, heard nine public commenters, several supporting nominees to the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) and one urging police drones. The committee approved its rule 45 report and re-referred a lithium-ion battery safety ordinance for micro-mobility devices to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Seven mayoral nominees to the first permanent CCPSA gave statements and answered questions on COPA's compliance with state investigation law, independence, and how they would change outcomes; members raised concerns that nominee Angel Navarro had not disclosed working for a sitting alderperson. The committee recommended approval of Anthony Driver Jr., Aaron Godley, Ibera Minor, Kelly Presley, Romel Terry and Sandra Wortham, and the chair held Navarro's appointment in committee.

Topics: CCPSA appointments, police accountability, COPA investigations, commissioner independence, lithium-ion battery safety, police drones, public comment

### Agenda items discussed

- [15:42](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=942) Public comment
- [41:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=2503) Approval of the rule 45 report for the April 1 meeting: passed
- [42:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=2529) Lithium-ion battery safety standards for micro-mobility devices (re-referred to Committee on License and Consumer Protection): deferred
- [1:55:06](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6906) Appointment of Anthony Driver Jr. as CCPSA commissioner: passed
- [1:55:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6934) Appointment of Aaron Godley as CCPSA commissioner: passed
- [1:55:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6956) Appointment of Ibera Minor as CCPSA commissioner: passed
- [1:56:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6976) Appointment of Kelly Presley as CCPSA commissioner: passed
- [1:56:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6995) Appointment of Angel Navarro as CCPSA commissioner: held
- [1:56:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=7000) Appointment of Romel Terry as CCPSA commissioner: passed
- [1:57:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=7023) Appointment of Sandra Wortham as CCPSA commissioner: passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Chris Taliaferro](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/29) (chair): Thanked the interim CCPSA commissioners and the nominating committee for their work. ([43:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=2595)); Said Angel Navarro should have disclosed in his opening statement that he works for a colleague, which raised concerns for him. ([1:21:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4862)); Asked each nominee to name the policy subject they would champion as commissioner. ([1:48:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6513))
- [Silvana Tabares](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/23) (alderperson): Asked nominee Aaron Godley whether CPD should enforce the vehicle code, citing crashes and fatalities on the Pulaski corridor in her ward. ([1:04:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=3853)); Asked whether Godley knew of Pennsylvania v. Mimms and the state Police and Community Relations Improvement Act. ([1:05:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=3945)); Asked whether nominees know COPA investigators are not certified as state law requires for police shooting investigations and whether they would push for compliance. ([1:07:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4023))
- [Samantha Nugent](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/39) (alderperson): Thanked nominees and praised interim commissioners Driver and Terry for community engagement. ([1:17:25](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4645)); Asked Angel Navarro how he would maintain independence while working for an alderperson on public safety. ([1:18:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4682)); Said she had concerns about Navarro's independence because his employer would vote on his appointment and on matters he presents. ([1:20:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4801))
- [Nicole T. Lee](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/11) (alderperson): Praised Anthony Driver for bringing a superintendent forum to Chinatown and said her community felt heard. ([1:22:50](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4970)); Urged commissioners to be fair and take a balanced approach in overseeing COPA and CPD. ([1:24:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=5064)); Said she also expected Navarro to disclose his current job and that full disclosure is important. ([1:25:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=5127))
- [Jeanette B. Taylor](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/20) (alderperson): Asked nominees what they would do differently given multiple oversight bodies and continuing large lawsuit payouts. ([1:26:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=5193)); Said the commission has a chance to fix decades of problems, asked commissioners to help shape legislation and to step away if they can no longer commit. ([1:38:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=5926)); Said she was not concerned about Navarro's employment and would support him. ([1:40:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6058))
- [Derrick G. Curtis](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/18) (alderperson): Said he is an advocate of accountability, drew on his law enforcement training in internal investigations, and praised Anthony Driver as fair and open-minded. ([1:41:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6112))
- [Jason C. Ervin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/28) (alderperson): Welcomed having a young person on the commission and praised nominees Wortham, Terry and Driver. ([1:53:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6784))

### Exchanges between members

- [1:17:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=4655) Alderperson Samantha Nugent noted she had served with the chair on the group that reviewed initial commission candidates.
- [1:38:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=5933) Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor built on a point raised by Alderperson Silvana Tabares about the response to a major shooting.
- [1:42:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6135) Alderperson Derrick G. Curtis thanked Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor for saying the work will not be easy.
- [1:42:59](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538?t=6179) Alderperson Derrick G. Curtis thanked Alderperson Silvana Tabares for raising investigator training requirements.

## Documents

- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/9d600b23-89c4-4259-92fc-ed255f3439c5.pdf)
- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/ed804386-5731-4886-bf80-4e744b47329b.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/8bd65e4d-2547-48d2-9bda-c3bc31b8774d.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D566BC6-4C0D-EF11-9F89-001DD8309538 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt