The U.S. Justice Department, which is in the early stages of its civil rights investigation into the Chicago Police Department, is inviting community members to provide their input on CPD practices “both in public meetings and privately,” according to a Dec. 17 press release.
“Any public meetings will be announced at a later date. Anyone who wishes to share information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Department of Justice by phone: (844) 401-3735 or email: community.cpd@usdoj.gov.”
On Dec. 16, officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with top leadership in the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois, met with interim CPD Superintendent John Escalante and his top brass about the investigation.
The Justice Department’s investigation will focus on CPD’s “use of force, disparities in use of force and accountability systems.”
In the wake of the Nov. 24 release of the Laquan McDonald shooting footage, protesters and community leaders from across Chicago have demanded the resignations of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
In addition, they’ve demanded major overhauls of the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) and separate federal investigations into other controversial CPD tactics, such as the existence of its Homan Square detention facility on the West Side.
