The coalitions behind the Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) and Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA) ordinances joined with one another to create the Empowering Communities for Public Safety Ordinance (ECPS).
It's the first time such far-reaching police oversight reform has been enacted in a major city.
The ordinance needed 34 votes to pass, and passed 36-13. All three Uptown aldermen (Cappleman, Martin, and Osterman) voted in favor of it.
Ald. Harry Osterman (48th Ward), a chief sponsor of the ordinance, said in a statement:
"It is vital to the success of both our City and our Police Department that community members are empowered with a voice in the policy, accountability, direction, and leadership of CPD and its accountability agencies.
This long overdue ordinance will allow civilians to enact serious positive changes within the current police accountability system, and to ensure that their needs are being met by those individuals who are sworn to protect them."
The "no" votes on the Council came from Alds. Beale, Burke, Gardiner, Hopkins, Napolitano, Nugent, O'Shea, Quinn, Reboyras, Reilly, Sposato, Tabares, and Daley Thompson. (Ald. Villegas did not attend the meeting.)
- An article about the ordinance's passage is here (WTTW).
- A copy of the ordinance is here.
- The City's statement on its passage is here.
It becomes effective on January 1, 2022.
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