CITY OF CHICAGO
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
* INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO
^QLl'"^ JOSEPH M. FERGUSON
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o^imprc? DEBORAH WITZBURG
DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
CITY OF CHICAGO
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
740 NORTH SEDGWICK STREET, SUITE 200
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60654
JOSEPH M. FERGUSON TELEPHONE: (773) 478-7799
INSPECTOR GENERAL FAX. (773) 478-3949
JANUARY 22, 2021
The Public Safety section ofthe City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIC) is charged by the Municipal Code of Chicago (MCC) with reviewing and auditing the Chicago Police Department's (CPD) policies, practices, programs, and training with respect to constitutional policing, discipline, and use of force, and as they affect CPD's integrity, transparency, and relationship with City residents. The Public Safety section may make recommendations to address problems or deficiencies or to make improvements in such policies, practices, programs, and training. MCC § 2-56-230(d).
Accordingly, the Public Safety section has been conducting an inquiry into CPD's execution of search warrants, focusing on the accuracy ofthe addresses at which they are located. That inquiry is a long-term one and remains ongoing.
In light ofthe urgent need to prevent serious harm to Chicagoans in the execution of search warrants at the wrong addresses, and in recognition of pressing public concern around these issues, OIG has issued preliminary findings and recommendations to CPD while the larger programmatic inquiry continues.
Specifically, OIG found that CPD's directive on search warrants leaves gaps in CPD members' obligations to verify and corroborate the information upon which they rely in seeking a search warrant. Further, OIG found that the circumstances under which a CPD supervisor must initiate a disciplinary investigation following a problematic search warrant execution are too narrow.
Consequently, OIG recommended that CPD modify its direct...
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