Coalition Advocates for Police Transparency

LWV Chicago joined fellow members of the Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency (CPAT) in sending a letter to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and lead attorney for the City, Mary B. Richardson-Lowry, encouraging the City to pursue litigation between the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the City over the option of private arbitration in serious police misconduct cases.

CPAT applauds the City Council for its rejection of Arbitrator Edwin Benn’s ruling, which would have allowed Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers accused of serious misconduct to bypass the Police Board and, instead, have their cases reviewed in closed-door, private arbitration. Mr. Benn’s ruling fundamentally ignored the profound public interest in police accountability and transparency regarding how the most serious police misconduct cases are reviewed and decided.

The City of Chicago and its residents have the right to insist upon a process for deciding CPD discipline that accounts for the paramount interests and welfare of the public at stake here. CPAT believes the City has a meritorious position, outlined in the letter, and suggests that the City consider raising said points to the court.

Signatories of the letter include:
ACLU of Illinois, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Chicago Torture Justice Center, Color Of Change, Common Cause Illinois, Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid, Clinic of the University of Chicago Law School, The Exoneration Project, Impact for Equity, Julia Kline (Police District Councilor, 2nd District), League of Women Voters of Chicago, Loevy + Loevy, NAACP Chicago Westside Branch, Network 49, ONE Northside, The People’s Lobby, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL).