Mayor Emanuel Hints He Might Consider Replacing Independent Police Review Authority
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is hinting that he might consider replacing Chicago's Independent Police Review Authority which investigates complaints of officer misconduct.
When the mayor stepped before reporters after Wednesday's City Council meeting, he had not yet been briefed on the recommendations of his Police Accountability Tax Force or one of its signature recommendations: abolishing the Independent Police Review Authority.
Task force members say the review board -- created to replace the old "Office of Professional Standards" -- had lost credibility in the community.
The mayor's been supportive of IPRA in the past, but now seems to be focusing more on its overall mission.
"There's no doubt that we have a lot of work to do in the sense of rebuilding trust," said the mayor. "IPRA's going to play an important role in that, and if it's not IPRA, it's some entity ... we'll work through those issues."
Alderman Leslie Hairston has introduced a measure that would replace IPRA with a citizen-focused police accountability panel.