A Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) may be in Waukegan’s future but it cannot be like the one in the City of Chicago with its full investigative powers to recommend change.
Mayor Ann Taylor told the Waukegan City Council of her intention to study the possibility of creating a Civilian Office of Police Accountability at a regularly scheduled meeting Monday at City Hall letting them know the possibility is on the horizon.
Taylor said she wants appropriate city officials to take a look at the feasibility of creating a Waukegan COPA. She wants to know what the group might look like and get some ideas of what it could possibly do.
“When we’ve kind of sorted through and worked with staff, I will share it with residents at an upcoming city council meeting but we are still in the exploratory process of that,” Taylor said at the meeting.
With Chicago operating under a set of Illinois laws for cities with more than 1 million people and Waukegan under different state regulations as a home rule city, Taylor said after the meeting Waukegan cannot use Chicago’s COPA as a model.
A Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) may be in Waukegan’s future but it cannot be like the one in the City of Chicago with its full investigative powers to recommend change.
Mayor Ann Taylor told the Waukegan City Council of her intention to study the possibility of creating a Civilian Office of Police Accountability at a regularly scheduled meeting Monday at City Hall letting them know the possibility is on the horizon.
Taylor said she wants appropriate city officials to take a look at the feasibility of creating a Waukegan COPA. She wants to know what the group might look like and get some ideas of what it could possibly do.
“When we’ve kind of sorted through and worked with staff, I will share it with residents at an upcoming city council meeting but we are still in the exploratory process of that,” Taylor said at the meeting.
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With Chicago operating under a set of Illinois laws for cities with more than 1 million people and Waukegan under different state regulations as a home rule city, Taylor said after the meeting Waukegan cannot use Chicago’s COPA as a model.
Finding a way to get the community involved and keeping it fair for everyone affected is the challenge facing Waukegan officials. Taylor said those who join the panel, if one is established, must be open minded.
“They can’t have any preconceived ideas,” Taylor said after the meeting. “Overall the police are doing a very good job. Police have to make very difficult decisions. They make decisions that can save a life.”
Source: www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs