[remote or in person] Police Board

Chicago Police Board

Criminal Justice

Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023
7:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. CDT

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3510 S Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60653 (Directions)

Public Safety Headquarters

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Zuka'a Joudeh

Police officers facing serious misconduct allegations could choose to have their case reviewed by an arbitrator instead of the Chicago Police Board, according to a recent legal opinion on the Fraternal Order of Police’s labor negotiations with the city.

View notes

Live reporting by William Garcia

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter

Hi, I'll be live-tweeting this evening's Chicago Police Board meeting for @CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters

07:17 PM Aug 17, 2023 CDT

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 2/41

Tonight's 7:30pm meeting is being held in person at the City of Chicago Public Safety Headquarters (3510 S Michigan), televised on CAN-TV, and streamed at cantv.org/watch/stream-c….

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 3/41

Meeting notice and agenda. (Source: chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…) https://t.co/BRREgfk9LY

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 4/41

Stream is active. Waiting to begin. https://t.co/X4o5L9bngF

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 5/41

Somebody needs to figure out the audio feedback issue in the room.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 6/41

Police Board President Foreman kicks off the meeting at 7:37pm. Two board members are joining virtually after approval from the rest of the board. https://t.co/sx4OIrrRfS

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 7/41

Foreman congratulates incoming Supt Larry Snelling on his appointment. A round of applause ensues.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 8/41

Police disciplinary matters:

Foreman discusses a recent decision by an arbitrator which would allow officers to have discipline matters decided by an arbitrator instead of being discussed publicly by the Police Board.

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Foreman says the arbitration process takes place behind closed doors. The board posts decisions and reasoning on the City's website -- not so with decisions made via arbitration.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 10/41

Officers facing suspension of 31-365 days have option of having matter decided by PB or arbitrator. Foreman says that since 2014, only one officer chose to have their matter decided by the Police Board.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 11/41

Next, a report and discussion of grievance procedure system by Tobara Richardson. The full report is available at igchicago.org. https://t.co/wEBZoIQLPj

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Richardson says
- 52% all cases where grievance is possible
- 39% of such cases discipline sustained

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For cases without sustained discipline, top reasons were:
- Insufficient evidence
- Discipline deemed not appropriate

Richard says OIG found process lacks transparency.

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OIG recommends that Dept of Law and Police Board publish information regarding grievance processes that end in settlement.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 15/41

OIG also found that settlement process lacks clarity and transparency.

92% cases (79 total) resolved by settlement resulted in reduced discipline.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 16/41

Richardson says OIG also found that grievance and settlement process is decided by too few people. More details and a data breakdown are available in the OIG report.

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OIG recommends that CPD and police union work to expand the pool of arbitrators.

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Next is a presentation by Walter Katz on police discipline, arbitration, and transparency. Katz is joining remotely.

There were some tech difficulties, so we'll be going back to Katz once that is figured out.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 19/41

Minutes from last meeting are approved by the board.

Next Police Board meeting will be held Thurs, Sept 21 @ 7:30pm at Chicago Public Safety Headquarters.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 20/41

Police disciplinary final action

21PB2991: Two officers charged, PB recommended discharge of both officers for incident in CTA station on Feb 28, 2020. One officer resigned, so board doesn't have jurisdiction in that officer's matter and withdraw their charge.

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21PB2991 continued: PB finds Officer Butler guilty and moves to suspend the officer for one year without pay. The motion passes by vote of 5 Yes / 4 No. Decision will be posted on the Police Board website.

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COPA Chief and Supt disagrees on matter 23-04. Supt says charges were unfounded and moved to dismiss. Upon review, PB says Supt did not meet the burden of information, and a hearing is necessary. https://t.co/V41Ye3WPPT

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 23/41

Vote to affirm matters 21AA17-20 regarding Police Board finding that applicants to the Police Department were not fit to serve. The motion passes.

These were regarding appeals by the candidates who contested the board's claim that they are not fit to serve.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 24/41

Next is Superintendent's report by Interim Supt Waller.

- Waller congratulates incoming Supt Snelling

There's audio feedback because there's too many mics on the table it seems.

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Waller thanks officers who worked on what would otherwise be their days off to serve during Lollapalooza and the Bud Billiken Parade. https://t.co/Oufw0SSZQz

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 26/41

We're going back to Walter Katz for this report. It's difficult to hear the audio on CAN-TV. @cantvchicago

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 27/41

@cantvchicago It's not clear if they're playing Katz's audio through a laptop speaker, but I cannot hear it through the livestream @cantvchicago

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 28/41

Katz has concluded his presentation, but unfortunately I wasn't able to hear a word.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 29/41

Next are remarks by @ChicagoCOPA Chief Andrea Kersten

July:
- 348 compaints
- 78 retained
- 30% improper search
- 2 officer-involved shootings
- 200 cases closed
- 1100 cases remain (Kersten says was about 1800 when she started)

30 community engagements in July alone https://t.co/nPG4Wc1M6F

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Kersten says the arbitration process stands alone as untouched by the reforms under the consent decree. Arbitrators are not required to have special training regarding reform principles, and there is no timeline for arbitration process.

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Kersten says there is no consistency regarding timeline of concluding arbitration process.

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Next, public comment.

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1. The commentator says there need to be more people in the audience and calls the Police Board hearing a dog and pony show. There is a bunch of audio feedback and the mic cuts out. https://t.co/XU8s2CK39J

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 34/41

2. Discussion and protest regarding housing of migrants at police stations. The commentator says this is preventing folks from having access to police stations. "We have lost our key card." They ask CPD to stop housing people at police stations. https://t.co/NzunZRUECW

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3. A person representing community groups thanks interim Supt Waller. There are follow-up remarks calling for more transparency in arbitration process. https://t.co/CREKLVKpme

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 36/41

4. Thank you to local commander regarding safety patrols on 59th street block during July 4th festivities. The 4th generation homeowner and Englewood resident says, "Everyone does not hate the police... Together we can. Together we will." They brought a loaf of bread as a gift. https://t.co/uHF6SRn0xO

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 37/41

5. Thanks to Supt Waller. They discuss recent mob that descended on 75th street and response by CPD. The former officer also discuss their recent traumatic experience wherein a worker was shot at McDonald's. https://t.co/e5TADaZHh0

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 38/41

6. Safety concerns in the 3rd and 6th district. There were a couple pod cameras ordered, but they are still not installed. It turns out that the cameras are out of stock. https://t.co/B5TspIMqXi

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 39/41

7. A retired police officer praises Waller and presents him with a gift. https://t.co/8gChGSdxF2

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The meeting concludes at 8:42pm.

Bill Garcia @BillGDocumenter 41/41

This concludes my coverage for @CHIdocumenters. #CHIDocumenters

Please see chicago.gov/city/en/depts/… for more information. Reply to this thread or DM me with any questions.

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Attachments

Notice

By India Daniels 8/17/2023

audio

By Zuka'a Joudeh 8/17/2023

Agency Information

Chicago Police Board

www.chicago.gov

(312) 742-4194

Carisa.Boatman@cityofchicago.org

@PoliceBoard

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago Police Board is an independent civilian body that oversees various matters of the Chicago Police Department, mainly deciding disciplinary cases involving police officers or members of the department, and nominating candidates for Superintendent of Police. The nine individuals who sit on the board are appointed by the mayor.

If you’re attending a Police Board meeting in person, be prepared to go through security. You may hear graphic descriptions of violent events or loud verbal protest from members of the public.

Remote meetings may be viewed at https://cantv.org/watch-now/ or on CAN-TV, Chicago cable channel 27. The video recordings are later posted on Youtube and previously on CAN TV’s YouTube within a day or two.

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