[remote or in person] City Council

Chicago City Council

Politics

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024
11:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. CST

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121 N LaSalle St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)

Chicago City Hall, 2nd floor, Council Chambers

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Live reporting by Chitra Iyer

City Council denied the police union’s push to allow certain disciplinary cases to be decided behind closed doors for the second time in two months.

Chitra Iyer

Good morning Chicago! I'll be live tweeting today's special City Council meeting for @CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters, set to start at 11

10:24 AM Feb 15, 2024 CST

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 2/62

@CHIdocumenters Of note, the special meeting that will follow at 11:30 intends to call for a vote on a ruling that says that police disciplinary cases can be heard by a third party arbitrator, instead of the police board

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 3/62

The vote has been repeatedly deferred and invokes Rule 41, which is used when items are held in a committee without action for at least 60 days- the sponsor is Alderman Yancy of the 5th Ward nbcchicago.com/news/local/jud…

nbcchicago.com/news/local/jud…

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 4/62

Here's a link with more information on the arbitration option and it's history chicago.suntimes.com/2023/12/6/2399…

chicago.suntimes.com/2023/12/6/2399…

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 5/62

The live stream can be viewed here: https://x.com/ChicagosMayor/status/1758174384265584820?s=20

https://x.com/ChicagosMayor/status/1758174384265584820?s=20

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 6/62

11:11, there is an announcement that meeting will be starting shortly

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 7/62

call to order at 11:18, quorum roll call is now open

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 8/62

quorum has been met, a number of alders are participating remotely, pledge of allegiance commences

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 9/62

Public comment period begins. The first speaker is 'Matthew Conte', who talks about the homeless encampment, and about being assaulted by a panhandler. He asks to explore alternative solutions to encampments to address homelessness

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 10/62

He talks about the Bring Chicago Home referendum and says that there are enough resources coming for alternative housing options, before his time expires

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 11/62

The next commenter wants voters to consider that police officers should be held to the highest standards, and be transparently accountable for their actions, as opposed to arbitrators reviewing cases behind closed doors. "there is substantial evidence of partiality"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 12/62

she implores voters to reject the vote Christa Noel is next; she is a survivor of an attack/beating by a police officer in 2009. she has fought for many women who have been brutalized and killed by the police board, speaking to the board almost every month

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 13/62

she says the police board IS transparent, allowing everyone to speak; "there is NO REASON for you to vote for arbitration...we should be able to disagree with the police in public, there's no reason why this [process] should be contained, and not allowing both sides to speak out"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 14/62

Olan Mijona- demands Council votes NO to arbitration, "a slap in the face to [the community, and] those of us who have tried to stop police crimes for decades"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 15/62

mentions a number of cases and that in 2023 police have killed people in record numbers. "a vote to end arbitration is the least the City Council can do"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 16/62

The next speaker mentions the recently approved contract which raises police salaries for the next two years, and talks about the lack of efficacy in policing today. He is a teacher who has seen multiple students killed and affected by gun violence, demands true accountability

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 17/62

Dave Gelfan- property owner of a multi-residential unit. a place [encampments] where homeless individuals sought shelter has become a place with "rampant drug use and criminal activity" and talks about safety concerns near his neighborhood

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 18/62

He implores the mayor to take action; he supports the allocation of resources to help the homeless, but he states that drug dealers have a vested interest in keeping the encampments alive, threatening both the homeless and the 'law abiding citizens' nearby

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 19/62

The next speaker was wrongfully convicted at 15, and tortured by the police; the case is still unsolved today. "they've been getting away with this for years" implores alderpersons to "do their job." Wants a better police board and asks for a NO vote.

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 20/62

"they protect themselves instead of serving us" the speaker is visibly distressed and emotional as he speaks

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 21/62

The next speaker encourages voting "no" to arbitration to prevent Chicago frm taking steps backward from their previous votes for transparency, elected district councils etc. "nobody charged with a crime is allowed to negotiate in private, so why should the police?"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 22/62

The next speaker says "this system is rigged, it don't matter anyways" but says that ShotSpotter shouldn't be ended. She alleges the money will be used to help "illegals anyways", and condemns the city for "messing with my generational wealth"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 23/62

Public comment ends. Vote for setting the date/time for the next meeting takes place at 11:55. Motion passes. Motion to reconsider fails. First meeting is adjourned

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 24/62

The 'new' 11:30 City Council meeting is now called to order and determination of quorum has commenced

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 25/62

quorum has been established. Alders Robinson, Harris, Mosely, Scott, Rodriguez Sanchez, and Hadden have been approved to participate remotely. Pledge and invocation commences

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 26/62

Public comments commence at 12:09 with Ellan Megano, who remembers Shasta Jones, who passed recently and was on the frontlines fighting for police accountability. He calls for a vote to oppose arbitration on her and their organization's behalf

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 27/62

John Canthezera points out the empty chairs and accuses them of walking off because he is walking. He wants to 'educate alderpeople on what arbitration is, a process granted to police because they lack the ability to strike'

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 28/62

"Ed Ben was the last man standing, if the city didn't want arbitration they should have struck him down too." He claims decision is grounded in 41 years of legal expertise law, and that this decision about discipline, not emotion

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 29/62

"if you don't like the law, you have to go change it in Springfield"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 30/62

John Catanzara is the current president of the American police union Lodge 7. He has previously defended the storming of the Capitol, made racist remarks towards Muslims, and faced numerous misconduct complaints during his 20 year stint as a CPD officer

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 31/62

He has a storied disciplinary record himself, and is an open supporter of Donald Trump

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 32/62

multiple subsequent commenters repeatedly implore the City Council to vote no for arbitration

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 33/62

David Melton is next- he is the president of the reform board. He urges rejection of the arbitrator's opinion

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 34/62

States that the arbitrator's decision is wrong, and does not ensure that bad officers are removed when they abuse their post, and abuse the financial interests of the community, quoting this WTTW reporting news.wttw.com/2024/01/22/rep…

news.wttw.com/2024/01/22/rep…

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 35/62

organizer David Orlikoff calls out Ed Benn about putting Illinois State law above constitutional law; he predicts that a no vote, elevating the issue to the Cook County Court, would succeed in the public's favor.

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 36/62

Here is more information on what another no vote would entail wbez.org/stories/arbitr…

wbez.org/stories/arbitr…

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 37/62

The next speaker thanks the Council and the Mayor for the Ceasefire resolution

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 38/62

He condemns the 'Trump supporting' FOP president "we were standing downstairs with him in the speakers line, where he was loudly spewing the same racism he spews all the time, in front of Black leaders and a man who was wrongfully convicted"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 39/62

Public comment ends, Valencia apprises City Council of communications. Alder Vasquez added to quorum

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 40/62

Reports of Standing Committees commences. Many proposals. Notably, Committee on Police and Fire asks for Mayor to reconsider ShotSpotter decision

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 41/62

Alderman Mitchell calls for Alderman Yancy's proposal to vote. Alderman David Moore talks about Rule 41 and urge colleagues to vote no, hoping for a 3/5ths majority, before informing the Council on the context

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 42/62

Alder states "Arbitration is a right that's guaranteed under labor laws and Illinois Public Relations Act, and it's illegal for us to break it today. Police boards are no more transparent than arbitration."

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 43/62

"Arbitration shall prevail...a vote against arbitration is a vote against workers rights"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 44/62

Alder Napolitano says there's an anti police sentiment in City Council, that's evident in the cancellation of ShotSpotter. Also says that arbitration will win in the end

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 45/62

"all of us will pay, this is gonna cost the city a lot, and you're willing to take that risk...for agenda purposes...This isn't a movement for accountability, this is a movement against police"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 46/62

Alderman Napolitano refuses to stop talking. There is screaming, Mayor calls Sargent at Arms to restore order and threatens to ask someone to leave

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 47/62

An audience member was shouting at Alder Napolitano to stop talking; he resumes after a moment but (in my opinion) seems visibly shaken/subdued

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 48/62

Alderman Yancy talks about being a union organizer as a high schooler; he repeated a portion of the song a police officer sang towards group of black youth many years ago, including himself- the Monkee's theme song

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 49/62

Alderman Vasquez also encourages a no vote, "I've never heard another police officer denounce the actions of a fellow police officer" Mentioned that policemen don't admit to being oath keepers unless behind closed doors, and they're not held accountable

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 50/62

"I don't hear that energy when we spend hundreds of millions of tax dollars on police misconduct cases- spare me this fiscal hawking conversation" [around costs in escalating the arbitration case]

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 51/62

Mayor asks for decorum and threatens clearing the public chamber

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 52/62

Alder Fuentes states that there is a public need for PUBLICALLY serving officers to be held accountable in a transparent manner. talks about witnessing the LaQuan McDonald verdict with young black students, who cried after the verdict was reached... because of a police board

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 53/62

"this process is for the most egregious and harmful behaviors of the CPD, 99% of the officer's wouldn't even be impacted by a process that's enacted by the Chicago Police Board. These decisions are expensive at best and fatal at worst, on the dime of Chicagoans"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 54/62

Alderman Ervin "there's no way in hell Benn should have been the one to be making this decision"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 55/62

Alderman Sposato supports arbitration, doubles down on the accusation that many people on the Council seem to hate the police. "we know what the vote's gonna be so let's get on with it" "we all want safety,so why are we getting rid of ShotSpotters and SROs in schools?"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 56/62

Alderman Ray Lopez "there's still plenty of technology that's considered racist" and Friday's ruling won't change this. Holds up The Gang Book and implies that gang members are grateful that ShotSpotter is set to expire

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 57/62

Alderman Hopkins supports arbitration because "plumbers and electricians don't have to wear bulletproof vests to work" and they can refuse to enter a situation they consider dangerous;

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 58/62

"the facts of a situation aren't always clear, and decisions need to be made fairly- that's the definition of arbitration"

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 59/62

Alderman Rodriguez renews motion for ordinance and urges a no vote

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 60/62

Mayor Johnson and City Clerk initiates voting process at 1:39

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 61/62

"32 Nays 18 Yays, this motion fails" Motion to reconsider the vote fails

Chitra Iyer @ChittyIyer 62/62

Meeting has adjourned at 1:43. This concludes my coverage on today’s City Council special meeting. For more meeting coverage check out documenters.org

documenters.org

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Note-taking by Katrina Herring

City Council denied the police union’s push to allow certain disciplinary cases to be decided behind closed doors for the second time in two months.

View notes

Attachments

13 attachments

Meeting details

By India Daniels ⋅ February 15th, 2024

Full meeting recording

By Grace Del Vecchio ⋅ February 15th, 2024

City Council Special Meeting Notice

By Katrina Herring ⋅ February 15th, 2024

Here's the link to view the meeting.

By Katrina Herring ⋅ February 15th, 2024

What is chicago city council?

By Katrina Herring ⋅ February 15th, 2024

Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

If you attend a meeting in person, be prepared to go through a security checkpoint and show photo ID.

Meetings are also livestreamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page. If you don’t see a link for the meeting, you may be early or the meeting may be starting late. Wait a few moments and try refreshing your Internet tab.

Recordings of past City Council meetings may be found here: https://vimeo.com/user100351763/videos/sort:date.

See also: “What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council” via the Better Government Association.