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Chicago Police Misconduct Investigators to Release New Videos Chicago Police Misconduct Investigators Release New Videos
(about 1 hour later)
CHICAGO — The agency that investigates Chicago police misconduct cases is expected to release videos, audio recordings and other material on Friday about some 100 incidents, the latest effort to rebuild public trust in the beleaguered police force. CHICAGO — The agency that investigates Chicago police misconduct cases on Friday released videos, audio recordings and other material about some 100 incidents, the latest effort to rebuild public trust in the beleaguered police force.
The move is very unusual for a city whose Police Department has a reputation for secrecy. Chicago officials waited until November — and then after a judge’s order — to release a video taken about a year earlier that showed Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald as he lay crumpled on the ground. Officer Van Dyke was charged with murder in the on-duty shooting. The move was very unusual for a city whose Police Department has a reputation for secrecy. Chicago officials waited until November — and then after a judge’s order — to release a video taken about a year earlier that showed Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald as he lay crumpled on the ground. Officer Van Dyke was charged with murder in the on-duty shooting.
Long-strained relations between the Chicago police and residents, especially African-Americans, boiled over after the release of the dashboard camera video showing Officer Van Dyke, who is white, shooting Mr. McDonald, who was black, 16 times.Long-strained relations between the Chicago police and residents, especially African-Americans, boiled over after the release of the dashboard camera video showing Officer Van Dyke, who is white, shooting Mr. McDonald, who was black, 16 times.
Since then, the city has experienced a marked increase in bloodshed. Shootings are up by 50 percent for the year, with hundreds injured and more than 230 people dead. And there are indications that the police department is getting little cooperation from citizens in their investigation of the crime surge.Since then, the city has experienced a marked increase in bloodshed. Shootings are up by 50 percent for the year, with hundreds injured and more than 230 people dead. And there are indications that the police department is getting little cooperation from citizens in their investigation of the crime surge.
Mistrust of the department, some here say, has made it harder to solve crimes on the streets, Witnesses and victims often choose not to share information with the police — one of the reasons for the decision to release the large cache of videos.Mistrust of the department, some here say, has made it harder to solve crimes on the streets, Witnesses and victims often choose not to share information with the police — one of the reasons for the decision to release the large cache of videos.
In the months following the Laquan McDonald video’s release, Mayor Rahm Emanuel faced calls for his resignation, the police superintendent was fired and the Justice Department began an investigation into the Police Department’s practices.In the months following the Laquan McDonald video’s release, Mayor Rahm Emanuel faced calls for his resignation, the police superintendent was fired and the Justice Department began an investigation into the Police Department’s practices.
Last month, a task force appointed by Mr. Emanuel issued a scathing report saying that racism had contributed to a long pattern of institutional failures by the department and that the department had lost the trust of residents.Last month, a task force appointed by Mr. Emanuel issued a scathing report saying that racism had contributed to a long pattern of institutional failures by the department and that the department had lost the trust of residents.
In March, Anita Alvarez, the state’s attorney for Cook County, the prosecutor who waited 13 months before taking action against Officer Van Dyke, was ousted by voters.In March, Anita Alvarez, the state’s attorney for Cook County, the prosecutor who waited 13 months before taking action against Officer Van Dyke, was ousted by voters.
The agency releasing the videos, the Independent Police Review Authority, would not indicate which cases would be included. The videos are expected to include police-involved shootings and circumstances in which officers used a Taser. Some are expected to show officers responding to scenes.The agency releasing the videos, the Independent Police Review Authority, would not indicate which cases would be included. The videos are expected to include police-involved shootings and circumstances in which officers used a Taser. Some are expected to show officers responding to scenes.
The confrontation with Mr. McDonald began around 9 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2014, when he was stopped by the police after a report of someone breaking into vehicles on the Southwest Side. Officers said Mr. McDonald had a three-inch folding knife and ignored calls to drop it. Instead, they said, he walked and jogged away and at one point slashed the tire of a police car.The confrontation with Mr. McDonald began around 9 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2014, when he was stopped by the police after a report of someone breaking into vehicles on the Southwest Side. Officers said Mr. McDonald had a three-inch folding knife and ignored calls to drop it. Instead, they said, he walked and jogged away and at one point slashed the tire of a police car.
A growing number of officers followed him for several blocks. The police dashboard camera video, made public on Nov. 24, shows Officer Van Dyke’s vehicle pulling up just before the shooting began. The officer fired the 16 shots at Mr. McDonald from about 10 feet away, prosecutors have said. No other officer at the scene fired his gun, although at least five corroborated Officer Van Dyke’s version of events — that Mr. McDonald appeared to be coming at them in a threatening way.A growing number of officers followed him for several blocks. The police dashboard camera video, made public on Nov. 24, shows Officer Van Dyke’s vehicle pulling up just before the shooting began. The officer fired the 16 shots at Mr. McDonald from about 10 feet away, prosecutors have said. No other officer at the scene fired his gun, although at least five corroborated Officer Van Dyke’s version of events — that Mr. McDonald appeared to be coming at them in a threatening way.
After the shooting, the Independent Police Review Authority, a group assigned to review police shootings in Chicago, began investigating. Within two weeks, the city’s information was handed over to prosecutors to conduct their own criminal inquiries.After the shooting, the Independent Police Review Authority, a group assigned to review police shootings in Chicago, began investigating. Within two weeks, the city’s information was handed over to prosecutors to conduct their own criminal inquiries.