Judge rules to delay police board discipline until Chicago council votes on the issue

Chicago's City Council on Wednesday again deferred a vote on how to discipline police. Hours later, a judge ruled to delay any police board discipline until Feb. 24.

Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara and other members of the police union walked out when the City Council deferred the vote, even though a council committee had decided 10-5 the day before to recommend a vote.

"The public has demanded accountability in order for us to have that confidence in our police and build the systems necessary to have community engaged in violence prevention efforts," said Ald. Mike Rodriguez of the 22nd Ward.

The council was supposed to vote on a ruling that says police disciplinary cases can be heard by a third-party arbitrator instead of by the police board.

"We need to improve accountability, transparency," said Ald. Rodriguez. "The Police Board does that. Independent arbitrators do not. I hope that my colleagues would join me in demanding more accountability and responsibility."

The police union said state law is on their side.

"This goes back decades under the Labor Act, and it was very clear that in lieu of the ability to strike, police and fire would get interest arbitration to resolve contractual issues,” said Catanzara.

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After the council refused to vote, the Fraternal Order of Police went back to court Wednesday afternoon for a hearing already scheduled in this case, which started in 2017.

"The FOP is not asking for anything that any other public employee gets in this state. Everybody else has the opportunity to go to arbitration," said Tim Grace, an attorney for the Fraternal Order of Police. "If [the City Council doesn't] like the law, go to Springfield and change the law."