May 3, 2007 7:07 pm US/Central
Mayor Daley Wants OPS Split From Police Department
Move Comes After Videotaped Beatings By Off-Duty Officers
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Mayor Richard M. Daley on Thursday proposed severing the agency that reviews officer misconduct allegations from the police department, hoping to squash the perception that rogue officers aren't held accountable.
As CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports, for years, civil rights attorneys and victims advocates have called the police Office of Professional Standards a do-nothing department that turns a blind eye to brutality.
Daley agreed that police should no longer police themselves.
"We must assure every Chicagoan that we are doing everything possible to prevent abuse by police," Daley said.
Recent embarrassments for the department include the now-infamous videotaped beating of a woman bartender, allegedly by an off-duty Chicago police officer. Four businessmen also say they were beaten by six off-duty officers, and Police Superintendent Phil Cline recently announced he will step down once his replacement is found.
Though Daley denies it, some still see this as the latest fallout from the infamous Anthony Abbate police beating tape.
Daley admitted it's the department's reputation that's taken a beating.
"When the people feel the police department is protecting misconduct at the cost of the taxpayers, it's a very sad comment," Daley said.
Daley acknowledged Thursday that perception exists, and critics insist OPS is part of the reason why.
"They're not making any effort to uncover wrongdoing by police officers and then adequately punish them," said attorney Terry Ekl, who is representing the bartender Abbate beat.
For example, in 2005, 97 percent of citizen complaints investigated by OPS resulted in no discipline for police officers.
Now, Daley wants to move OPS out of the police department and have its new boss report directly to him.
"What we've asked for all along is an independent civilian review board," said Rev. Albert Tyson of St. Stephens AME Church. "This is a step in that direction."
The city's chief attorney explained the proposed process.
"OPS does an investigation, makes recommendations to the superintendent. Superintendent then has 90 days to act on a recommendation," said corporation counsel Mara Georges.
But that feature alone leads some longtime critics to question if this is really reform.
"If you have to go through the superintendent to approve the recommendations, you still have fundamentally the same system you have now," said civil rights attorney Flint Taylor.
In fact, the police superintendent wouldn't have the final say on discipline.
If OPS thinks a superintendent's punishment is inadequate, it can appeal to the police board.
Still, critics say the most important factor may be commitment of the new OPS boss and the new superintendent to real reform. Neither of those positions has been filled yet.
The proposed changes will be introduced at next week's City Council meeting.
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