As noted at the past several Police Board public meetings, the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents Chicago police officers below the rank of sergeant, has appealed two rulings that are part of the March 21 Cook County Circuit Court decision that allows officers to choose to have the most serious police disciplinary cases heard by an arbitrator rather than the Police Board.  The union is challenging the rulings that arbitration proceedings be open to the public and that accused officers may be suspended without pay while the arbitration case is pending.

The appeal before the Illinois Appellate Court has been fully briefed.  We are still waiting to hear whether the Court will hold oral arguments.

There are 16 cases currently before the Police Board in which the accused officer has requested arbitration. These cases are on hold—there will be no arbitration hearings until the establishment of a public arbitration process, and there will be no Police Board hearings without the consent of the accused officer.

There are now five Police Board cases that are moving forward. Four involve police officers who have elected to have a Police Board hearing and one involves a CPD lieutenant.