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CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – The Chicago Police officers union and many of the suburban police chiefs on Thursday called on Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to resign.
Filling the stage at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 headquarters were representatives of the South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police; the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association and the North Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police.
Not there: any African American police chiefs, including Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson.
FOP President Kevin Graham said what's important is who was there.
"What needs to be looked at is that a significant amount of law enforcement in Cook County is here saying that there's a problem in the state's attorney's office and is asking her to resign. I think that's the important part in this."
Graham and others say Foxx dropping charges against Jussie Smollett is what brought this to a head but problems had been brewing.
"This didn't start with Jussie Smollett," Graham said. "This started when we wanted to try and make sure that when officers received a battery in performance of their duties, that felony charges would be placed.
"And we continually had problems getting those charges approved. And they were continuously denied, even though that's what the law requires."
Foxx's office issued a statement saying, in part, "I was elected by the people of Cook County to pursue community safety, prevent harm, and uphold the values of fairness and equal justice.”
WBBM also received a statement from a group called Color of Change, billing itself as "the nation’s largest online racial justice group." It accused critics of Foxx as having racist motives.