Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled his plan to disband the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) and replace the group with a civilian agency “that has more independence and more resources to do its work.”
Formed in 2007, the IPRA was created to serve as the city’s police review agency in response to negative allegations of police misconduct investigation. The IPRA reviews complaints made against police officers as well as officer-related shootings. However, it quickly garnered criticism. IPRA has been known for their lack of action, with only two percent of all claims filed against Chicago officers resulting in discipline, leaving most incidents without resolution.
The city will hold a council meeting on June 22, at which time Emanuel will reveal his idea in greater detail. He provided some preliminary information about it in an op-ed published in the Chicago Sun-Times, describing the new policy as “a comprehensive plan to fundamentally reshape our system of police accountability.” The plan will further its action by including a new public safety inspector general, in charge of auditing and monitoring law enforcement in the city, with hopes to identify “emerging problems and trends in order to prevent acts of abuse from occurring in the first place.” Plans also include the formation of a Community Safety Oversight Board, which will give Chicago residents a voice in how their relationship with law enforcement is shaped and monitored.
