Mayor Emanuel today released a progress report on police reforms implemented over the past year in five important areas: de-escalation, transparency, accountability, mental health first response and community engagement. These efforts reflect the City’s work to address the complex challenges facing the police department and its ongoing partnership with communities to ensure the safety of every person throughout Chicago.

“Rebuilding trust between police and the communities they serve is essential for improving public safety,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The vast majority of our police officers are doing incredible work under challenging situations and rise to every occasion in their daily service. These reforms enhance the police department’s ability to do its work, by restoring trust and legitimacy through greater transparency.”

“The changes that we have seen in the City’s public safety and police accountability infrastructure in 2016 are truly transformative,” said Sharon Fairley, chief administrator of the Independent Police Review Authority. “Although there is still more to be done, we must acknowledge that fundamental change is happening right before our eyes. This is the Chicago at its best.”

“The work we see in the Mental Health First Response in the last year has reflected the voice of the community that informed the work of the Police Accountability Task Force,” said Alexa James, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Chicago. “Emergency Responders have more tools to utilize in keeping our community and themselves safe. This is possible because of preliminary efforts of the emergency response systems. We see the collaboration of these partners as the biggest accomplishment.”

Below is a short description of the reforms discussed in the report.

Structural and Leadership Changes in the Chicago Police Department

• Superintendent Johnson created a new Bureau of Professional Standards responsible for implementing reform and appointed Chief Anne Kirkpatrick to lead it.
• Superintendent Johnson appointed Dan Godsel as Commander of the Education and Training Division to help Deputy Chief Calloway improve recruit, in-service and field training programs.

Use of Force & De-Escalation

• CPD updated its use of force policies and made them available for public comment until December 5, 2016.
• CPD implemented new in-service, scenario-based training on force-mitigation skills and tactics to help officers recognize the signs of mental illness, trauma and crisis situations.
• Every CPD officer responding to calls for service has access to a Taser and is certified to use one.

Transparency

• Video, audio and some written information relating to all police-involved shootings and incidents involving death or serious bodily injury due to Taser use or while in police custody is now publicly available online within 60 days of the incident.
• CPD will publish annual reports, use of force reports and progress reports on reform efforts.
• Every CPD patrol officer will be equipped with a body worn camera by the end of 2018.

Accountability & Civilian Oversight

• In October 2016, the City passed an ordinance establishing the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) and the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety to help make police oversight more timely, fair and transparent for both complainants and police.
• Mayor Emanuel has committed to working with the City Council and community groups to create a new Community Oversight Board, which will play a role in ensuring the transparency and accountability of the police discipline system.
• CPD is in the final stages of creating an anonymous hotline for members of the department to report misconduct.
• CPD has partnered with working with the University of Chicago Crime Lab to develop an improved Early Intervention System to identify officers who may need additional non-disciplinary training or support.

Mental Health First Response

• The Mayor formed a Citywide Mental Health Steering Committee to address how the City’s first responders can best serve individuals with mental illness.
• The Committee won a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant to support its work, including community education and police training.
• The CPD Bureau of Patrol is working toward the goal of certifying 35 percent of its officers in Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT) by the end of 2017.
• The Office of Emergency Management improved training for 911 call takers and dispatchers to support them in recognizing the signs of a mental health crisis.
• A working group, including the Kennedy Forum, National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago, CPD and the city’s Public Health Department, will launch a large-scale effort to provide 400 individuals from local schools, faith-based institutions and community-based organizations with free mental health and CIT awareness training.
• Under the leadership of Cook County, a crisis stabilization unit pilot program was launched in the Roseland neighborhood to provide a stabilization facility – other than an emergency room – to bring people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Community-Police Relations

• In October, CPD Superintendent Johnson announced the formation of a Community Policing Advisory Panel dedicated to developing a new strategic plan for enhancing community policing by the end of the first quarter of 2017.
• CPD and the Department of Human Resources have committed to revamping the entire police recruitment, application and pre-employment process for the CPD to identify opportunities to increase minority retention, hiring and promotion.
• CPD is working with YMCA of Metro Chicago to develop the Bridging the Divide Program for youth at the Police Academy to enhance opportunities for district officers and youth to work together and develop mutual respect.

To view the full report, please visit: https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/mayor/Public%20Safety%20Reforms/ProgressReport-PoliceReforms.pdf