Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced details for selecting an independent monitor who will oversee the implementation of the consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Judge Robert M. Dow Jr. has also announced an upcoming fairness hearing in federal court which will allow for the public to provide additional feedback on the proposed consent decree.

Independent Monitor Selection Process
Nine teams of experts have submitted applications to serve as the independent monitor overseeing the Chicago police reform consent decree. The public can review the applications and provide feedback at this link. The Attorney General’s Office and the City are in the process of reviewing the applications and will announce finalists to the public the week of October 15. The offices will host two public forums on Saturday, November 3 at the James R. Thompson Center for the public to hear presentations and ask questions of the finalists. More details on the forums will be made available as the event nears. Judge Dow has final selection authority for the independent monitor and the team that will oversee the implementation of the consent decree.

“The public continues to play a critical role in reaching a final consent decree and providing feedback on an independent monitor that will oversee lasting reform of the Chicago Police Department,” Madigan said. “We look forward to gathering additional input from Chicago’s community members on these important parts of the process.”

“The voices and values of Chicagoans are reflected in the draft consent decree, and we look forward to continued public input as we take the next steps down the road to reform,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I want to commend all those who have stepped forward and shared their experience and expertise to help us reach this pivotal point in the process of bringing meaningful and lasting reform to the Chicago Police Department.”

Public Comment on Proposed Consent Decree
In addition, Judge Dow has set a schedule and parameters for hearings to receive public comment on the consent decree. He also announced a written comment period. Details are provided below:

• Public hearing: The court will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, October 24 and Thursday, October 25 between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. It will take place in the James B. Parsons Ceremonial Courtroom on the 25th Floor of the Dirksen Federal Building at 219 S. Dearborn St. Each speaker will be limited to five minutes.
  
  Everyone entering the federal courthouse must present a government-issued photo ID. No recording or photography is allowed inside the courthouse. Posting to social media is not allowed from inside the courtroom and electronic devices may not be used inside the courtroom. Signs and posters will not be allowed in the courtroom. No eating, drinking or gum chewing is allowed.
  
  
• Written Comments: Any person or group can provide written comments on the proposed consent decree by filing a letter or legal brief with the Clerk of the Court no later than Friday, October 12 at 4:30 p.m. Written submissions can be hand delivered or mailed to:
  
  Clerk of Court
  United States District Court
  Everett McKinley Dirksen Federal Building
  219 South Dearborn Street, 20th Floor
  Chicago, IL 60604
  Re: State of Illinois vs. City of Chicago, Case No. 17-cv-6260
  
  Attorneys and others who use the court’s PACER electronic filing system may file electronically. All written submissions will be made publicly available. No e-mails, telephone calls or anonymous submissions will be accepted or considered.

Madigan and Emanuel filed the proposed consent decree in federal court September 13 after nearly a year of negotiations and receiving feedback from Chicago community members and police officers. It will resolve the complaint Madigan filed against the City on August 29, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois seeking numerous reforms recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in its investigation of CPD. Madigan took this action after DOJ chose not to pursue Chicago police reform through a consent decree, despite its own recommendation to do so.

The proposed consent decree mandates comprehensive reform of CPD’s policies, practices, training and accountability mechanisms to address the use of force, ensure police accountability, improve public and officer safety and, ultimately, build trust between CPD and Chicago’s residents.

All information on the independent monitor, submissions by independent monitor candidates, the parameters of the public hearing and comment period, as well as the proposed consent decree can be found at www.chicagopoliceconsentdecree.org.

###