Dozens Voice Concerns At First Forum On Police Accountability Task Force
(CBS) -- Fewer than 100 people turned out for the first of four meetings of the mayor's Task Force on Police Accountability.
Police Board President Lori Lightfoot told those who attended the forum, at the Mount Vernon Baptist Church JLM Life Center, at 2622 W. Jackson Blvd., that the stakes are high.
"We believe that this is a very important moment in the life of our city," she said.
A number of speakers called for an elected replacement for the Police Board and the Independent Police Review Board. Others called for a crackdown on brutal or trigger-happy officers. Speaker David O'Banion said he would start by locking up the officer who shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
"If we would just see to it that (Officer) Jason Van Dyke went to jail for what he's done, the rest of the officers don't want to go to jail and that would curb the officers from killing our babies," he said as members of the audience applauded.
Additional forums are scheduled Feb. 11, 23 and 25.