CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Lightfoot has outlined a proposal for a civilian police oversight that doesn’t go as far as any of the proposals the Chicago City Council has been considering.
The joint proposal between the two main citizens groups pushing for a civilian oversight panel envisions a panel that could hire and fire Chicago’s Police Superintendent, negotiate police contracts, and set the Police Department’s budget. And Aldermen seem ready to let the public vote on whether they want that.
But, Mayor Lightfoot filed a proposed ordinance with the City Clerk that would give the mayor final authority to name a Police Superintendent, Police Board President, and the head of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
"The relationship between the mayor and the police superintendent is critically important, so we have a process by which the candidates would be vetted through the commission; the commission would make recommendations, but yes, because the buck stops with me, I will ultimately as mayor, and any other subsequent mayor, be making that decision," she said.
Still, the Mayor said there would be a lot of public input.
"We allow for a process, which I think is important, to really be engaged at the community level through the police districts that not only are there three commissioners...but they enable to then be able to do outreach and form committees based upon what the individualized needs are," she said.
The main commission also could give advice on police policies, but not decide on them.
The Mayor’s plan would also let the panel set goals for the superintendent and the heads of the police board and COPA.
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