Police Board

Here’s tonight’s agenda. You can watch the meeting at http://cantv.org/live https://t.co/qRA6fvnJaE

The meeting is called to order by Police Board President Ghian Foreman, who takes roll.

Foreman says the Police Board recently published its annual report which is available on the website, http://chicagopoliceboard.org

Now for a presentation by Oji Eggleston, Executive Director of Chicago Survivors, a nonprofit that provides resources & support for families that lose a loved one to homicide in Chicago

Eggleston is speaking about Chicago Survivors’ staff and the services they provide to help families through grief, disruption to daily life & PTSD in the aftermath of homicide https://t.co/PEECHeF0gP

Eggleston’s presentation is cut off by an apparent tech issue.

Next is a report from Superintendent David Brown. He says month-to-date shootings are down and homicides are down too. The year-to-date numbers of shootings and homicides are down as well, same with carjacking. Homicide clearance rates are at a high of 68% https://t.co/08hxs2GegG

He says the key to all of us being safer is building trust.

Next is a report from Andrea Kersten. This is the first Police Board meeting she is attending in her new role as Chief Administrator of COPA (Civilian Office of Police Accountability) https://www.chicagocopa.org/

Kersten’s nomination to the position had been stalled by some alders who were outraged that Kersten did not retroactively edit a report, which was written before but released after the death of Chicago police officer Ella French, that recommended discipline for French

“COPA has to be an independent body but independence does not equal isolation,” she says, noting that in her first month she’s been having conversations “across the whole of government” and with faith communities & others to make sure COPA reflects needs of communities it serves

Foreman apologizes for forgetting to approve the previous month’s minutes at the beginning of the meeting, as he forgot his glasses. Minutes are approved now. He notes the next regular meeting will be held April 21.

There is a report on disciplinary actions taken by the Board during the previous month. You can view it on the board’s website. There are announcements in 2 disciplinary cases on the agenda this evening.

One case involves an officer who struck a protestor with a baton without justification during a protest

The other involved an officer who struck an individual and took her phone without justification during a protest and then made a false report, and another officer who failed to report that officer for using excessive force

You can find the written opinions in these cases on the board’s website.

Now for public comment!

The first speaker is Mia Bonds. She says her organization, Chicago Youth Council for Police Accountability, is planning an event in May. Foreman cuts her off to ask her to speak more slowly

The goal is to reduce tension between Chicago youth & CPD officers, Bonds says https://t.co/tKsQydlFwE

Foreman says Bonds’ group has been “working with us” to better understand and work with young people. They recently requested to tour a police station so this is being arranged.

The next speaker is Robert J. Moore, who asks which recent meetings the Chief Superintendent was unable to attend and why. Foreman says the superintendent had other business when he missed the February meeting. Moore says it was on Zoom so he should have been able to be there

That concludes public comment. The meeting is adjourned at 8:08 PM. #ChiDocumenters