(WBBM Newsradio) -- The Chicago Police Department’s watchdog agency says its director is stepping down after three years.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability’s chief administrator, Sydney Roberts, announced her resignation in a statement Wednesday. Roberts was appointed to COPA in 2018 by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“It has been a tremendous honor to serve these last three years as COPA’s Chief Administrator” Roberts said. “I led COPA from the very start of my tenure with a keen awareness of the new agency’s importance in enabling civilian oversight of law enforcement.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Roberts was “charged with a critically important mission as our city set out to improve its police accountability system.
“Her task was not an easy one, even under normal circumstances,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “Yet, despite the challenges of this past year, she remained focused on increasing accountability and transparency within CPD and established meaningful relationships with community members, stakeholders and most importantly, impacted parties. I wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
At an event Wednesday, Lightfoot said she did not seek Roberts' departure. She said she has had some issues with how COPA has handled some cases. The mayor specifically said the agency dragged its feet on an investigation into a mistaken police raid on the home of Chicago woman, who ended up handcuffed and naked for a time as male officers stormed her residence.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2021. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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