For Immediate Release: February 15, 2024
Contact: media@colorofchange.org 

In Chicago, Color Of Change Applauds City Council’s Vote to Protect Systems that Hold Police Accountable and Keep Communities Informed  

Chicago – Today, the Chicago City Council rejected Arbitrator Edwin Benn’s reaffirmed decision to move serious police misconduct cases from a public process decided by the Police Board to a private proceeding employing an unrepresentative group of private arbitrators as decision-makers, with limited judicial oversight. The Council first voted down this effort in December of 2023. In light of the City Council’s opposition to the Arbitrator’s ruling, Color Of Change released the following statement from Policy Strategist, Queen Adesuyi: 

“The City Council’s vote today should send a message to Arbitrator Benn and to Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP): diminishing police accountability is a losing issue. Chicagoans deserve to trust the regulation of police misconduct, and be able to count on consequences for police officers who are responsible for breaching public safety and obstructing justice. This vote by the City Council is one that takes into consideration the disproportionate impact of police violence and misconduct felt by Black, Latine, low-income and disabled Chicagoans. The cost of police misconduct for Chicago is a financial burden, a catalyst for trauma, and a barrier between communities and public safety. Color Of Change commends City Council for their display of integrity in today’s vote, as we know they faced great pressure and fear mongering from the FOP over the past several weeks. We know this is not the end of the movement to retain and expand the systems that hold police accountable, and we urge Alders to stand their ground and to keep focused on measures that will put the safety of Chicagoans first.”

###

Color Of Change is a founding member of the Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency (CPAT), a cohort of more than a dozen community-based, civil rights and justice reform organizations focused on protecting and expanding mechanisms for police accountability and transparency in the city of Chicago. Color Of Change also has 45,000+ Color Of Change members based in Cook County.