News / Human Rights

Chicago police trying to destroy its misconduct report

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 9:13 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 22 December 2015 9:13 AM ]

A demonstrator who was participating in a march calling for the resignation of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is taken into custody by the police in front of the Four Seasons Hotel on December 18, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP Photo)

Chicago’s police union is increasingly trying to force the city to destroy police misconduct reports amid a federal investigation into alleged systematic discrimination and brutality by the department.

The city’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has, in recent months, been trying to, through a legal bid, do away with misconduct reports aged 5-years-old and older.

The FOP described the reason behind the measure, which would enable officers to escape accountability for their actions, as the terms of a bargaining agreement with the city.

In November, an arbitrator between the city and police representatives issued a ruling in favor of the destruction of the evidence following public information requests from reporters and police brutality opponents.

However, Peter Flynn, a federal judge in Illinois, ruled that police had to inform the public of the issue before destroying the documents.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch has also said that an investigation will be launched into the practices of the Chicago Police, following reports of use of deadly force, especially against racial and ethnic minorities.

“Specifically, we will examine a number of issues related to the Chicago Police Department’s use of force, including its use of deadly force, racial, ethnic and other disparities in its use of force,” Lynch told the press.

Recently a video was released, showing a white officer killing an unarmed black teenager back in October 2014. The revelation stirred a new wave of protests in Chicago.

McDonald, who was black, was shot 16 times in a span of 15 seconds by Jason Van Dyke, who is white. Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder late last month.

Critics have alleged a cover-up in the case, since it took more than a year since McDonald was killed to bring criminal charges.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk