Emanuel Not Offering Specifics On IPRA Replacement, But Says Citizen Participation Key
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel isn't offering specifics yet, but he says a new agency that will replace the much-criticized Independent Police Review Authority will have citizen involvement and will put the police department and the city in a better place, reports WBBM's Mike Krauser.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel says IPRA has lost credibility.
"While the work is important, we need to have a new organization with a new endeavor to do that but it is part of an overarching effort," Emanuel said. "It's not alone. There's also Bureau of Internal Affairs, what role the Police Board itself will play and then both an inspector general to make sure that there's no trends being set up as it relates to an individual officer or to spot things early and then citizens' participation so that everybody has buy-in as it relates to public safety, as it relates to accountability, as it relates to oversight."
The details, he says, will be worked out with the aldermen. The mayor spoke at a gathering of block clubs in the Gresham neighborhood and he applauded those taking part for caring about their communities.
Mayor Emanuel has been meeting with several aldermen, including 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston.
"It's a victory for citizens here in the city of Chicago," she said.
Hairston and others in the Black Caucus have been fighting for the change and even though she doesn't know what the new reform will look like, she believes it's the right move.
"I'm glad that the mayor has taken this step in the right direction," she said. "This is something that is not going to be accomplished overnight. It's going to take a lot of heavy lifting and so we will see it as a work in progress."
The mayor's plan will be presented to the City Council on June 22.