rVWit-Sofc
RESOLUTION
Whereas, the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) had failed to conduct independent, high quality, and unbiased investigations into police misconduct resulting in a lack of police accountability, a lack of public confidence, and an unchecked pattern and practice of civil rights violations by the Chicago Police Department,
Whereas, the City's Police Accountability Task Force recommended that the City dismantle IPRA and create a new civilian agency in its stead capable of conducting independent, high quality, and unbiased police misconduct investigations,
Whereas, the City Council created the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) in 2016 to replace to replace IPRA investigate complaints against police officers, address patterns of police misconduct, and recommend policy changes based on the finding identified in those investigations, and
Whereas, the United States Department of Justice documented a pattern of practice of civil rights violations by the Chicago Police Department facilitated by the lack of police accountability in Chicago, and
Whereas, Sharon Fairley, as COPA's first Chief Administrator, performed an exemplary job to build COPA, establish sound policies and procedures, hire staff, and build a culture to enable it to fulfill its mission, and
Whereas, in Spring 2018, Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Sydney Roberts as COPA's Chief Administrator, after Sharon Fairley had resigned from the position and after the brief tenure of an interim Chief, and
Whereas, questions have emerged since the appointment of Chief Administrator Roberts about her leadership and effectiveness in this role, and
Whereas, questions have been raised as to whether COPA, under Roberts' leadership, has internalized a bias in favor of protecting Chicago police officers who are accused of misconduct from discipline, and
Whereas, more than 30 COPA employees, most of them investigators, have left the agency since Sharon Fairley's departure, as a result of what has been reported as a crisis of leadership and bias to protect police officers at the agency, and
Whereas, concerns have also been raised about whether COPA, under Roberts' leadership, is documenting investigative findings and disciplinary recommendations of its investigators, when Chief Administrator Roberts disagrees with those recommendations,
Whereas, there is a federal judicial consent decree, overseen by United States District Judge Robert Dow, to remedy patterns and practices of Chicago Police civil rights violations, in which the functioning and mission of COPA play a central role, and
Whereas, a well-functioning and unbiased COPA as civilian agency that is transparent and accountable to the community is critical to the success of police reform in Chicago
Be it therefore resolved, COPA appear before the city council to address these issues and provide a report on the status ofthe agency
