Catherwood LibraryILR School

The U.S. Justice Department’s scathing report earlier this year on the Chicago police department’s conduct and “severely deficient training procedures” had prompted the city to change the Chicago Police Department’s use-of-force policy, which went into effect last week. The Fraternal Order of Police, however, filed charges that the implementation of the policy violated its collective bargaining agreement because the policy change was not negotiated with the union, and that the policy would affect disciplinary investigations, witness statements, and just cause issues. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel noted that the policy had been implemented through two rounds of public comment along with significant policy officer feedback. Under the proposed use-of-force policy change, officers in 2018 would have to take an eight-hour "scenario-based instruction" focusing on the "sanctity of life," with the hours required escalating each year until the desired 40 hours of training is reached in 2021. The course would also focus on mental health, rights, and pursuit of criminal suspects, among other subjects.