Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on Tuesday the creation of a task force on police accountability in an effort to “strengthen the fabric of trust between the Chicago Police Department and the communities it protects."
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is a Chicago native, will be a senior adviser for the panel. The former director of the Illinois State Police, Hiram Grau, will be a member, along with Chicago Police Board president Lori Lightfoot.
The announcement comes as Emanuel revealed that he has asked Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy to step down following the release of dash-cam video showing the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
City leaders – including Emanuel – face mounting criticism over the handling of the McDonald case.
The Task Force on Police Accountability will review the processes that hold Chicago’s police officers accountable, as well as oversight and training for the department.
“Actively engaging a range of community members--including victims’ rights representatives, law enforcement organizations, youth, religious and elected leaders--will be critically important to ensure the recommendations are based on input from all parts of the city,” the city said in the release.
The panel’s recommendations will be presented to the Mayor and City Council by March 31, 2016.
Immediately after the release of the dashcam video showing the fatal shooting of McDonald, the hashtag #ResignRahm was trending on Twitter in Chicago.
In the days since the video was released, Emanuel has not had a public schedule to allow for any questions concerning the video or subsequent protests.
Critics also called for the resignations of Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
