The federal consent decree was supposed to fundamentally reform the way police work in Chicago. But five years into the decree, forcing change on the Chicago Police Department has proved to be a lot slower and tougher than anybody expected.
A Fox 32 investigation by Dane Placko, has found it’s also proving to be much more expensive than anticipated.
“Today is an historic day for the city of Chicago,” said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
On Sept. 14, 2018, Chicago’s police chief, mayor and the Illinois attorney general unveil a 229-page consent decree that promised the fundamental change for Chicago policing.
“The consent decree is a detailed and comprehensive roadmap to reform that Chicagoans need and can be proud of,” Madigan said.
But 1,734 days later, nobody is proud or happy about how it has worked.
“We’re in year five, and we are not very far along,” former Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson said.
“Well it’s just another layer of bureaucracy,” Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said.
“We are not satisfied with the progress,” said Alexandra Block of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
“It has failed. It has failed miserably,” said Rev. Marvin Hunter, the great uncle of Laquan McDonald.
McDonald’s great uncle, the ACLU, a Chicago alderman, and the former Chicago inspector general are four stakeholders with four perspectives on the consent decree, but they are all disappointed.
