[in person] Chicago Police District Council 008 Regular Meeting - Archer Heights/Chicago Lawn/Clearing/Ashburn

Chicago Police District Councils

Criminal Justice

Thursday, June 20, 2024
6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m. CDT

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6258 W 62nd St, Chicago, Illinois 60638 Chicago, IL 60638 (Directions)

Hale Park Fieldhouse

This is an in-person assignment and will include an additional hour of pay.

PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK the meeting details and District Council 008- CCPSA Facebook page on the day of your assignment, as dates and locations sometimes change.

Pre-Research Resources

City Bureau: “Can the Neighbors We Elect to Police District Councils Redefine Public Safety?”
City Bureau: “Chicago’s New Police District Councils, 4 Months In”
Find My Beat and District: Interactive map of police district boundaries
Chicago Reader/Block Club Chicago: Information about the candidates who ran for this council in the municipal elections
The TRiiBE: “ECPS coalition wins a wide majority of Chicago’s new Police District Council seats”

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Ebony Ellis

View notes

Live reporting by Adlyn Morrison

Pretrial Fairness Act implementation

Addy Morrison @sweet_as_banana

Hello, I’m here live at the Chicago Police District Councils 008 Regular Meeting - Archer Heights/Chicago Lawn/Clearing/Ashburn. The meeting started at 6:30pm and the headcount is 17 people.

06:56 PM Jun 20, 2024 CDT

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Roll call and the minutes from the 5/16/24 have been approved.

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Jason Huff the Chair announces that the 2023-2024 8th District Community Feedback Report is now available for review

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More photos.

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Mr. Ben Redel director of criminal justice policy of the ACLU for Illinois speaks about the Pretrial Fairness Act.

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The flyer talks about the accomplishments of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

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Mr. Redel states the previous system “punished people for being poor.”

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Mr. Redel also states that under the previous system one night in jail could “destabilize people’s lives” due to risk of job loss and higher risk of re-arrest. The new system “focuses the court” on high risk persons who might flee or do harm to others.

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Mr. Redel says the point of the pretrial fairness act has reduced the jail populations reduced and the crime has not gone up.

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The floor is now open to questions. The chair Mr. Huff asks who is the agency that determines the data and that the fairness act is a success. Mr. Redel says it’s from studies that have been done in other jurisdictions. See #9 of the flier.

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Mr. Redel does admit the courts have been slow to conduct and release data, but it is progressing.

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Albert Cacciottolo asks about the data for reoffend. A resident speaks up about the data. He lists several persons who go on to reoffend violently and nonviolently. He asks who speaks for the victims and says the Act “has no benefit to me.”

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Mr. Redel says 90% of people released don’t go on to commit crimes. He asks the resident if all those people should be in jail and the resident confirms because those people are not committing crimes.

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Mr. Redel again says that when there is a over correction with jails it destabilizes communities and causes more crime.

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Mark Hamberlin, of Community Engagement, agrees with the resident. He recalls a man who is a “menace to society.” He has carjacked several times and has been released several times. Mr. Hamberlin believes these criminals should fall on the judge.

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Mr. Redel responds that car jacking is a “detainable offense.” Mr. Hamberlin responds the offender wasn’t detained, instead he was walking the street and something must be done.

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Mr Albert Cacciottolo asks if reoffenders can be let out sue to the Pretrial Fairness Act? Mr. Redel says it depends. Mr. Cacciottolo says “that’s wrong.”

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Mr Cacciottolo says the Pretrial Fairness Act a “get out of jail free card.” Mr Redel says they can be charged with violating the Act and charged with a new crime and be sent to jail for the duration of their Pretrial release. He admits reoffenders can be released.

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Mr. Cacciottolo says why can’t offenders be told if they reoffend they’ll go to jail. Mr. Tender says it’s the “judges’s job.” Mr. Cacciottolo says why can’t the legislature put that in the Act. Mr Redel says that would be difficult to “legislate outcomes.”

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Mr. Redel continues that legislating outcomes is how America got “mandatory minimums that give us mass incarceration because the legislature’s substituting their judgement for judges that listen to the facts…and lay out an appropriate sentence.”

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Mr. Redel continues, “we get into a lot of trouble when legislators in politically charged environments” demand harsh sentences “because it’s an election year.”

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Mr. Huff says that people don’t mind when low level offenders are released. It’s the high-level offenders. Mr. Huff asked what can be done to hold judges and legislators accountable while people “hold the police to such high standards?”
“Voters,” says Mr. Rendel.

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A female resident mentions there is a report that comes out during the election year and that’s one way for voters to hold judges, sheriffs, and attorney general accountable.
Mr. Cacciottolo agrees and says the goal should be to “get that out to the voters.”

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After another call for public comments the meeting was called to adjourn at 7:40pm by Chairman Huff.

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The next meeting will be on July 18th, 2024 at 6:30pm. The next guest speaker will have a presentation about Shot Spotter.

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Please find the streaming link to the meeting here:

facebook.com/share/v/hc56wZ…

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Agency Information

Chicago Police District Councils

See meeting notes for details

www.chicago.gov

See Documenters reporting

Each of the 22 District Councils is made up of three people elected by residents of the police district in regular municipal elections every four years, though anyone can participate in District Council work, and the more people who participate, the more effective the District Councils can be. The first District Council elections occurred in February 2023. Just as Chicagoans vote for a mayor and a local ward Alderperson, they also vote for up to three people to serve on the District Council.

The District Councils have several key roles:

Building stronger connections between the police and the community at the district level, where the community is a true partner in making the neighborhood safer. They can work with the police to address problems and set priorities.
Collaborating in the development and implementation of community policing initiatives.
Holding monthly public meetings, where residents can work on local initiatives rooted in community concerns and priorities. They can also raise and work to address concerns about policing in the district, and increase accountability.
Working with the community to get input on police department policies and practices. Working to develop and expand restorative justice and similar programs in the police district.
Ensuring that the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability gets input from the community, so that the Commission’s work will be based on what people in neighborhoods across the city are concerned about.
Nominating members of the Community Commission. Anyone who serves on the Community Commission must first have the support of elected District Council members.

(Source: Municipal Code of Chicago, 2-80-070(a) and (e))

For a map of police districts, visit https://www.chicagocityscape.com/maps/index.php#/?places_type=chipolicedistrict.