CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Lori Lightfoot is defending her decision to move forward on civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department, even without an agreement with her former allies.
Mayor Lightfoot said she and her staff have been working with the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability, or GAPA, for a long time. In fact, she campaigned saying she largely supported their plan for a Civilian Oversight Commission for the police department.
But efforts reportedly broke down over who would have final says on police policies if there was a dispute between the civilian panel and the police officials.
The Mayor said GAPA was supposed to present another proposal, but didn’t.
"Civilian oversight is important and so I am working with members of City Council to make that a reality," she said.
The Mayor will put forth her own plan soon.
"We were supposed to get very specific answers from GAPA on outstanding issues at least six weeks ago, if not two months ago. We haven't heard anything. We have got to move forward," she said.
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Asked about another issue: the power of the civilians over the police superintendent, the Mayor said she would not negotiate through the media.
There is another proposal, for a Civilian Police Accountability Council, or CPAC, that has some aldermanic support. A council hearing could come this month.