Joint Committee: Public Safety; Police and Fire meeting, September 29, 2023
- When: Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 2:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Video: https://vimeo.com/868421283
- Transcript: full text (8,959 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 Joint Committee on Public Safety and Police and Fire held a subject matter hearing on September 29, 2023, on the Office of Inspector General Public Safety section's 2022 annual report, as required by the Municipal Code. Deputy Inspector General Tobara Richardson summarized 2022 work, including findings that Black Chicagoans are disproportionately subject to investigatory stops and use of force, inconsistent disciplinary practices at BIA and COPA, CPD scheduling and officer wellness findings, gaps in litigation data on more than $250 million in settlements and judgments, and recommendations to reopen 17 closed disciplinary investigations, some involving officers' ties to extremist groups. Members asked about policies on extremist group membership, a proposed arbitration change for serious discipline, investigation timelines, the methodology behind stop disparity findings, 911 call backlogs and sexual misconduct investigations. No vote was taken; the report was discussed.
Topics: Inspector General public safety report, police discipline, racial disparities in stops and use of force, extremist group membership, arbitration of police discipline, officer wellness, litigation costs, 911 call data
Agenda items discussed
- 12:51 Rule 59 remote attendance for Alderpersons Gutiérrez and Silverstein: passed
- 13:31 Subject matter hearing on the Office of Inspector General Public Safety section 2022 annual report: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Brian Hopkins (chair): Opened the subject matter hearing on the Inspector General's report and turned the meeting over to OIG for its presentation. (13:31)
- Chris Taliaferro (alderperson): Asked where a recommendation for a CPD policy on officers' membership in hate or extremist groups currently stands. (40:04); Asked whether OIG would offer an opinion on a proposed arbitration change allowing officers to take serious discipline to arbitration instead of the Police Board. (41:25)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked why investigations take hundreds of days, saying it is unfair to both officers and victims. (44:26); Said slow investigations may increase lawsuit costs. (46:06); Asked how to change a system she said is not working and whether community councils will help produce results. (47:21)
- James M. Gardiner (alderperson): Asked how long OIG has to begin an investigation once a claim is made against an officer. (51:02)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Asked whether 56 in-depth reviews meant the rest of 1,095 cases were unfounded. (55:12); Questioned the stop disparity methodology, arguing differences in officer density between the 15th and 16th districts could affect the results. (58:19)
- Desmon C. Yancy (alderperson): Asked whether racial disparities in traffic stops narrow at night compared with daytime. (1:05:23)
Exchanges between members
- 51:02 Alderperson James M. Gardiner said he was following up on Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor question about investigation timelines.