# Committee on Police and Fire meeting, January 14, 2025 - When: Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 11:30 AM (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/1046837898 - Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1046837898.txt) (7,315 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 heard four public commenters, two of whom criticized the city's Welcoming City policies, and approved its Rule 45 report for the October 24, 2024 meeting. The committee then considered four Police Board appointments: Arlette Porter, Cynthia Velasquez, a substitute appointment of Tyler Hall correcting a term date, and the reappointment of Steven Block. Each nominee described their background, and members asked why they want to serve at a difficult time and how the board can push the department toward reform. The committee recommended approval of all four appointments for the January 15, 2025 City Council meeting. Topics: Police Board appointments, Police accountability and reform, Welcoming City ordinance, Public comment ### Agenda items discussed - [22:38](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=1358) Approval of Rule 45 report for the October 24, 2024 meeting: passed - [51:17](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=3077) Reappointment of Steven Block to the Police Board: passed - [51:44](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=3104) Appointment of Arlette G. Porter to the Police Board: passed - [52:28](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=3148) Appointment of Cynthia Velasquez to the Police Board: passed - [53:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=3180) Substitute appointment of Tyler C. Hall to the Police Board: passed ### Alderpersons who spoke - [Chris Taliaferro](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/29) (chair): Introduced the four Police Board appointments and explained the substitute for Tyler Hall corrects the term end date. ([23:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=1396)); Thanked the nominees and asked them to carefully consider cases, noting their decisions affect the public and officers' families. ([49:51](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2991)) - [Jeanette B. Taylor](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/20) (alderperson): Asked each nominee why they want to serve given costly police cases and what they could add to bring real change. ([39:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2394)) - [Samantha Nugent](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/39) (alderperson): Said she spoke with all nominees, found them independent with a sense of public service, will support them, and urged them to assert independence given disagreements between COPA and the department. ([44:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2672)) - [Jason C. Ervin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/28) (alderperson): Asked how the board can send a clear message through policy and discipline that the department must move in a reform direction. ([45:38](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2738)); Thanked the nominees for volunteering in a role between the department and the community commission and said he will support all four. ([49:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2964)) ### Exchanges between members - [39:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2386) The chair recognized Taylor for questions to the nominees. - [44:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2670) The chair thanked Taylor and recognized Nugent. - [44:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2672) Nugent thanked the chair before commenting. - [45:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2736) The chair recognized Ervin. - [45:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2754) Ervin said Taylor's question to the nominees was appropriate. - [49:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=2988) The chair thanked Ervin. - [50:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D?t=3007) The chair echoed Ervin's description of the board's unique and difficult role. ## Documents - [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/a6417432-1d46-4d01-a53c-492619012d27.pdf) - [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/815642bf-b441-4737-bf29-c08c8dd84ab7.pdf) - [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/f8d7bc8b-c9f1-44d6-925d-76bde81b4e71.pdf) - [Other](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/81be2866-402e-471c-9588-9e44c0f1cf98.pdf) --- Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/B96B7C3B-BDCE-EF11-B8E9-001DD809A88D ยท Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. 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