FOR RELEASE:
December 27, 2023
PRESS CONTACT:
Deanna Shoss, Communications, 773-478-8417
The federal court overseeing the City of Chicago’s compliance with the consent decree entered in Illinois v. Chicago has found the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) and its Public Safety section in full and effective compliance with all applicable material requirements. The court has entered an order terminating OIG’s consent decree obligations, finding that OIG has sustained its demonstrated compliance for the required two-year period. The 799-paragraph consent decree is largely focused on the Chicago Police Department (CPD), but also imposed public safety reform-related obligations on several other City departments; OIG is the first and only component of City government to have achieved full compliance.
The consent decree obligations fully satisfied by OIG include the following:
- OIG notifies the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), in its clearinghouse capacity, of non-confidential complaints of police misconduct (Paragraph 440);
- OIG reviews, assesses, and reports on investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct by CPD members (Paragraph 444);
- OIG’s Public Safety section conducts evaluative projects in accordance with the Association of Inspectors General Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General (Paragraph 557);
- The Public Safety section has studied and reported on various specific topics, including the enforcement of CPD’s rule against false reports and enforcement of the duty to report misconduct (Paragraph 558);
- The Public Safety section reviews closed disciplinary investigations conducted by CPD and COPA for thoroughness, fairness, and objectivity (Paragraph 559);
- The Public Safety section, with OIG’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reviews CPD’s actions for potential bias, including racial bias; and
- The Public Safety section meets quarterly with representatives of COPA and the Police Board to confer and share information (Paragraph 565).
“I am incredibly proud of the work OIG has done in the service of our consent decree obligations, and to lead by example in the City’s progress toward public safety reform,” said Deborah Witzburg, Inspector General for the City of Chicago. “Having been released from our own obligations, I look forward to working closely with the consent decree monitor and with our partners in City government to help ensure that Chicagoans see real change—on the street, not just on paper.”
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The mission of the independent and nonpartisan City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in City government. OIG is a watchdog for the taxpayers of the City and has jurisdiction to conduct inquiries into most aspects of City government.
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