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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...
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