The Better Government Association supports SO2020-3999, an ordinance that will promote transparent and accountable policing in Chicago. This measure, sponsored by Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, and Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th, is the subject of an April 16 joint hearing of the City Council’s Finance and Public Safety committees.
Under the ordinance, records of completed police misconduct investigations would be proactively published on the web portal maintained by the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety. This would increase accessibility while relieving the public and the city of the burden of routine FOIA requests.
Courts (see Kalven v. Chicago) have made clear that the public is entitled to this information, with proper redactions. The ordinance would set up a process for regular publication of these records, saving taxpayer dollars and avoiding needless FOIA skirmishes.
The amended ordinance is shared below:
