Chicago police reform could be budget casualty

Zoom in: The police department and the city's early recommendation is to gut the Office of Constitutional Policing and Reform, which oversees a court-mandated consent decree.

Context: The office is made up of both civilian and sworn officers tasked with improving community policing, use-of-force policies, and officer accountability and transparency.

• It was created in 2019 after a U.S. Justice Department investigation the year prior found repeated civil rights abuses, including the murder of Laquan McDonald by officer Jason Van Dyke.

The intrigue: The office hasn't had great success in reforming the department. Since the consent decree began, CPD has met only about 7% of the court order's requirements, according to the independent group assigned to monitor the office.

• Yes, but: CPD says it is closer to 50% with several big policy changes, including revising the use-of-force policy in 2023.
• Last year, Mayor Brandon Johnson expanded the constitutional policing office, allocating almost 20% more for staff and resources.

Between the lines: The city is trying to cut resources after the City Council unanimously voted down a $300 million property tax hike. The police department is proposing to eliminate 456 vacant positions (both officer and civilian positions) and is proposing to cut 162 civilian positions in the constitutional policing office.

By the numbers: Johnson's $17 billion budget includes more than $2 billion for CPD, a $58 million increase from last year.

• The additional money would support SWAT teams and helicopters.

The latest: Police superintendent Larry Snelling advocated for keeping these positions at a budget hearing Friday, but he also said that he wanted to put all available resources into helping officers on the street.

• Snelling said he persuaded Johnson to reverse cuts for a few positions dedicated to officer wellness.

• Johnson, who before becoming mayor questioned the police department's resources, has defended the suggested cuts by arguing he's been hiring officers and implementing police reforms without the consent decree.

Friction point: The proposed cuts have riled up Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a new coalition of former officers and violence prevention groups.

• The coalition includes Robert Boik, the former executive director of the Constitutional Policing and Reform Office; former city inspector general Joe Ferguson; and former deputy mayor of public safety Susan Lee.

What they're saying: "Chicagoans want and deserve effective and constitutional policing in their communities," the coalition said in a statement.

• "Achieving the reforms that the court-ordered Consent Decree requires is critical to delivering on that mandate. We urge the City to continue leading as a positive force for reform and effective policing by restoring and funding all of the 162 Chicago Police Department positions directly related to Consent Decree compliance."

The bottom line: The high-profile, much-needed police reform may be forced to take a back seat due to problems with Chicago's bottom line.

What's next: The overall city budget must pass by the end of the year.