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A new collaboration between ProPublica and WTTW News dives into the five and a half years since CPD agreed to judicial oversight and why the consent decree has done so little for reform.
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A police vehicle passes by the 12th District Chicago Police Department in Illinois on Nov. 2, 2024. (Credit: Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica)
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Chicago police agreed to judicial oversight in 2019. Over the past five years since the consent decree went into effect, CPD has complied with just 9% of its requirements. Barring dramatic improvement, the city will have no choice but to add hundreds of millions of dollars to its budgets in years to come.
In a collaboration between ProPublica and WTTW News, our reporters look at how Chicago and CPD have faltered on reform despite pleas from reform groups.
What happened after the consent decree?
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Chicago police haven’t crafted a system for officers to work with residents to address threats to public safety. They haven’t completed a mandatory study of where officers are assigned throughout the city and whether changes would help thwart crime.
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And they have failed to move forward with a plan to alert police brass about which officers have been accused of misconduct more than once and might need counseling, retraining or discipline. While excessive force complaints from citizens have dropped, complaints about all forms of misconduct have risen.
Money for nothing?
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“It has been a waste of time and money,” said Sheila Bedi, a Northwestern University law professor. “It has been nothing more than an exercise in pushing paper.”
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Six permanent and interim superintendents have led CPD since 2019, and the city has had three mayors. All vowed to implement the consent decree but failed. The Chicago City Council has approved $667 million toward implementing the decree since 2020, but at least a quarter of the annual allotment goes unspent each year.
What’s next?
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The consent decree was designed to fix the shattered relationship between police and Chicago communities. So far, not only have police dragged their feet but the formal mechanism for oversight hasn’t led to meaningful progress.
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The monitoring team has the power to recommend to the judge that the city and CPD be punished for failing to meet the terms of the consent decree. It has never done so.
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In 2019, Chicago officers handcuffed Anjanette Young in her home while she was naked — after raiding the wrong address. Years later, despite reform efforts, little progress has been made on restricting no-knock warrants or police raids.
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Porscha Banks’ brother was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in March. She is frustrated by Chicago’s lack of progress toward meaningful reform: “They are failing Black people. They are failing all of us.”
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(Courtesy of Chicago Transit Authority)
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The CTA’s Holiday Train will return starting the week of Thanksgiving, running through late December. Riders can expect a six-car CTA train decorated with holiday scenes and lights, and Santa greeting riders from a flatbed. The holiday trains are running Nov. 29 to Dec. 23. The CTA has a list of specific times. Holiday buses are scheduled to run during specific times between Nov. 26 to Dec. 21. Click here for a full list of routes.
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Learn more about advertising & sponsorship with WTTW. |
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Discus (Credit: Clare Byrne)
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Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more. Click here for the full list.
Thursday, Nov. 21:
Dusk, Visual Learner, Glass-Beagle at Judson and Moore. Tickets.
Go to Avondale for a night of unabashedly Midwestern and twangy rock music.
Saturday, Nov. 23:
Discus, Hannah Frances, Brent Penny at Schubas. Tickets.
The Chicago indie rockers just released a new single called “On Tour.”
Sunday, Nov. 24:
Angel Bat Dawid, JOBS, 4Dgirlz, DJ All the Way Kay at Color Club. Tickets.
Chicago-based nonprofit Quiet Pterodactyl celebrates five years with an eclectic show and a silent auction.
Tuesday, Nov. 26:
Nora O’Connor, Sima Cunningham, Kelly Hogan at Old Town School of Folk. Tickets.
Three of Chicago’s most cherished songwriters pay tribute to the Roches.
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Back in the Day: November 20, 1999 - Chicago Outfit Leader Dominic Cortina Dies
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For much of the 20th century, the Chicago Outfit, the Italian-American mafia, ran roughshod over the city thanks to leaders like Al Capone, Johnny Torrio, Tony Accarda and Paul Ricca. If there was an illegal activity — gambling, smuggling, drugs, loansharking, prostitution — they were likely somewhat involved. On this day 25 years ago, a high-ranking member of the Outfit who ran a multimillion-dollar sports betting scheme, died of cancer in a Chicago-area hospice. Dominic Cortina’s specialty was gambling: He was a charismatic man who even the assistant U.S. attorney who eventually prosecuted him, said he was “a gentleman. I enjoyed meeting him.” While Cortina was never involved with the violent faction of organized crime, he did run a $20 million-a-year “sports betting empire” that landed him in prison. Shortly after his release in 1995, he was diagnosed with cancer.
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Other News From Around Town
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The Chicago Bulls are almost a month into their NBA season. How do you feel about the team so far? Tell us what you think and why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. |
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
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