For Immediate Release: August 20, 2024
Contact: media@colorofchange.org
Color Of Change Denounces Chicago Fraternal Order Order of Police’s Frivolous Lawsuit against the Civilian Office for Police Accountability
CHICAGO – Today, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has taken legal action against Chicago’s Civilian Office for Police Accountability (COPA) in a lawsuit, claiming “biased and unfair investigations” due to the oversight agency’s investigations into Chicago Police Department (CPD) misconduct allegations. This lawsuit comes after the FOP’s recent appellate brief was filed before the Illinois Court of Appeals in opposition to Judge Mullen’s ruling earlier this year that mandates that proceedings where serious police misconduct cases are reviewed and decided must be open to the public. It also comes after the FOP President publicly bashed COPA’s chief administrator upon COPA releasing the footage of police killing of Dexter Reed.
This erroneous lawsuit is yet another attempt to undermine police accountability and transparency measures in the City of Chicago. Color Of Change released the following statement:
“The FOP continues to fight tooth and nail against any and all measures of police accountability and transparency in the City of Chicago. The FOP has focused its outsized power and political agenda on behalf of shielding the most violent officers on the force from any accountability or discipline despite the City shelling out $384.2 million dollars to resolve lawsuits related to a wide range of police misconduct over just a 5-year period. According to WTTW News, one officer with repeated claims of misconduct accounted for nearly 43% of the taxpayer dollars to resolve these cases. The FOP’s political agenda, not only worsens public safety in communities across Chicago, but it also compromises the integrity of the force and its commitment to ‘protect and serve’ all Chicagoans,” states Michael Collins, Senior Director of Government Affairs State and Local “Everyone should have a vested interest in ensuring that the police force is rid of officers who are repeatedly engaged in serious misconduct and that violent officers are not allowed the opportunity to repeatedly violate Chicagoans’ civil liberties and rights. Unfortunately, the FOP is hyper-focused on protecting the worst ‘bad apples’ on the force, by fighting against accountability mechanisms that keep everyone safe. This is why we support the Community Power Over Policing ordinance – it is time to divest power from the FOP and empower communities around public safety, accountability, and transparency. ”
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