More than 50 people turned out on Feb. 6 at Hope Community Church, 5900 W. Iowa St., to learn more about the city’s new police accountability office.

“It’s important for us to know the responsibility of police. It’s also important we know the responsibilities we have as citizens,” said Rev. Steve M. Epting, who opened his church to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) as the new agency works to increase its visibility.

“There’s a lot we don’t know,” Epting said.

The new oversight body was created on Oct. 5, 2016 to replace the Independent Police Review Authority. Over the next 11 months, IPRA was gradually phased out as COPA was established. 

Like its predecessor, COPA has the power to investigate complaints against CPD officers, but unlike its predecessor, COPA can investigate allegations of illegal search and seizure, as well as domestic violence complaints against officers. Both of the latter complaints used to be investigated by CPD’s internal affairs division. 

Since the transition, COPA has been doing community outreach, and attending ward and CAPS beat meetings on the South and West Sides. 

Several COPA staff members were present at last Tuesday’s community meeting, one of many the office is holding across the city but especially in West and South Side neighborhoods where, COPA staff noted, there are many interactions between residents and police.

“Anyone at any time can have an interaction with a police officer,” said Ephraim Eaddy, COPA’s director of community outreach and engagement. And COPA wants residents to have the knowledge they need to deal with officers.

Based on the number of complaints COPA received from West Side police districts in its first year of operation, the data “told us Austin was the place where we had to be,” Eaddy said.

In the last 12 months, COPA received complaints from residents in the 60639, 60644 and 60651 zip codes that broke down this way:

Excessive force (39 percent)

Verbal abuse (14 percent)

Civil suits (12 percent)

False arrest (12 percent)

Improper detention (6 percent)

Improper search (6 percent)

Coercion (5 percent)

Unnecessary display of weapon (5 percent)

Neglect of duty (1 percent)

Residents can file a complaint in a number of ways, including in person at COPA’s office at 1615 W. Chicago Ave. (fourth floor), by phone at (312) 743-COPA or by email.

A challenging part of COPA’s job is interviewing civilians, a key part of investigating each complaint, said Chief Investigator Andrea Kersten, a former prosecutor and administrative law judge.

That’s partly because of the history of IPRA. During much of IPRA’s existence — it was created by then-Mayor Richard M. Daley after the fallout of former Commander Jon Burge — the office rarely ruled against police.

“It makes it really hard to get the complete picture” when witnesses are reluctant to come forward,” Kersten said. “We are really going the extra step to make ourselves available to people who may have relevant information for us.”

Kersten said that the agency accepts evidence from victims, witnesses, the police and other law enforcement agencies. All interviews the agency conducts are recorded on audio, so as to ensure that they have all the details right. 

Kersten added that those who are interviewed must sign a sworn affidavit, a requirement that was brought on by the police union. 

Once COPA finishes its investigation, staff attorneys will advise the agency on whether or not to bring charges. The agency needs to show a preponderance of evidence that an allegation is “more likely to be true than not true,” Kersten said.

A complaint, which is supposed to be resolved within six months, can be closed by COPA by being categorized in one of these ways:

within policy (no allegations of misconduct)

sustained

not sustained (insufficient evidence)

unfounded (the act didn’t occur as alleged)

exonerated (act did occur but is not a violation of policy or the law)

With each investigation, COPA is “tasked with giving everyone an even playing field” — not favoring the officer or the civilian, Kersten said.

The office has 125 employees; fully staffed it would have 140. One audience member wanted to know if that was enough.

“We are adequately staffed,” but as more complaints come, in COPA may need more support, said Mia Sissac, a public information officer.

Another audience member wondered if it’s legal for a police officer to order someone to unlock their phone and for an officer to search it. No, there must be a search warrant.

What happens if an officer wants to file a complaint against another officer? At a certain level, Chicago Police Department employees are required to report misconduct to COPA, so there are complaints coming from CPD.

“Not all of our complaints are coming from citizens. A lot of our complaints are coming from officers,” Kersten said.

Toward the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Ernest Cato III, the 15th District’s police commander, walked to the front of the room and said, “I do appreciate the work that COPA is doing. . . . The No. 1 thing is just doing what’s right and getting to the truth.”

Rev. Epting ended the meeting by encouraging West Side residents to reserve judgment while a case is being investigated.

“Whenever you see something on the news, try not to make your judgment right away. Please let the investigative process take its course,” Epting said, adding, “I’m praying for our commander every day. We have a lot of work to do.

Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), a former police officer whose ward includes Hope Community Church, said that he was pleased with how the meeting turned out. 

“It was much needed,” he said. “It was a very informative way of getting the information into the community and they presented it very well. I appreciate their commitment to go into every single community.” 

Resident Diana Graham said that the meeting went a long way toward dispelling fears about police misconduct.

“I learned a great deal about the police and the community,” she said. “A lot of people are afraid to come out to these meetings. They’re scared to go to forums like this. I got a lot of out of it.”

Resident Ty Phillips said that he thought the public meeting was valuable to everyone who attended.

“I think it helps everyone to stay honest,” he said. 

For more information about future COPA events, visit chicagocopa.org/events/. 

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com | igorst3@hotmail.com