New Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg says she wants to see a more effective Chicago Police Department with a better disciplinary system
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Deborah Witzburg was recently confirmed as the new Chicago Inspector General, and she is already laying out improvements she'd like to see involving the Chicago Police Department.
CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey sat down with Witzburg to talk about her plans.
As the former deputy inspector general for public safety, the CPD has been one of Witzburg's main areas of focus for some time. And after her predecessor's strained relationship with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Witzburg talking about how her office plans to move forward.
Witzburg went from the No. 2 official in the office of inspector general to No. 1. She says in her new role, public safely will likely still be a main focus.
After all, crime and policing are top of mind for a lot of Chicagoans right now, too.
"I think there is a channel of work that is devoted to making the Police Department be more effective at its sort of core law enforcement functions to keep people safe," Witzburg said.
Making CPD more effective involves anything from technology like body cameras to recordkeeping, as well as the effectiveness of department policies.
Witzburg also criticized the current confusing and complicated police disciplinary system - saying we are "in desperate need" of a police disciplinary system in which both members of the public and members of the department have confidence.
Witzburg's predecessor, Joe Ferguson, left the office in October after calling out Mayor Lightfoot and her administration for their response to the wrong raid investigation of Anjanette Young.
Young was an innocent social worker was changing her clothes when a team of officers burst into her home. She was handcuffed naked as officers swarmed her home with guns drawn. She can be seen on police body camera video repeatedly telling officers they were in the wrong place. The CBS 2 Investigators found the suspect police were looking for, based on a tip from a confidential informant, was living in a neighboring apartment. He also was wearing a police tracking device while awaiting trial for a recent arrest.
As for Ferguson, Mayor Lightfoot didn't have the kindest words upon his departure.
"What we're focused on is making sure we get a new strong, focused inspector general who understands the importance of staying in your lane," Mayor Lightfoot said at the time.
Hickey asked Witzburg how she anticipates moving forward with her office's relationship with the Mayor's office.
"I will do everything in my power to ensure the OIG occupies every corner of its legal mandate. I did not back down from difficult problems and topics as public safety deputy, and I won't do so as IG," Witzburg said. "This is hard work, and when we are doing it best, it's not popular. But I am really committed to this work and I am tremendously heartened by the people working in this office every day."
Witzburg now oversees about 100 employees.
Before coming to the OIG's office, she worked for the Cook County State's Attorney's office, which she says has informed a lot of her work on high-profile investigators involving policing in particular.
