The System Meant to Protect the People is Failing
13-year-old Adam Toledo was shot and killed at the hands of the police last week. I struggle to find the words for the pain and sorrow that I feel for his death, for the grief that his family is going through, for the grief that our community is going through. I struggle to find the words to express the anger and frustration over the continued loss of life and miscarriage of justice at the hands of a system that is meant to protect people.
The trial of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, the torture of Gerald Reed at the hands of police who was freed after 31 years of being wrongfully imprisoned, the wrongful raid of Anjanette Young. We continue to hear how the police engage in deeply traumatizing behavior.
The only way to stop this senseless violence and injustice is by changing the system that allows for such violence to occur. It is only through a more democratic, just and equitable system that our communities can be safe.
Creating a strong civilian oversight body over the police, as outlined in the Empowering Communities for Public Safety ECPS Ordinance, is a clear path towards creating a more just and equitable system. The ECPS ordinance is the People’s Ordinance. It will create a new way of policing, a new way that must be established now, before we hear of another tragedy in the media. What makes this ordinance truly transformational is that it will allow for civilians to have a say in policing policies. This power allows for communities who are most impacted by policing to have a say in policing policies and to put a stop to misconduct and abuse before it even happens.
Right now, our policing system is reactive – misconduct is investigated only after an incident occurs. For example, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability COPA is tasked with the responsibility of investigating misconduct after it has occurred. COPA does not have the power to change the policies that allow for such misconduct to happen in the first place. We need more than back-end solutions that occur after the fact.
With the People’s Ordinance, the people of this city will be given the power to make sure that what happened to Adam Toledo, what happened to Gerald Reed, what happened to Anjanette Young, will not happen again. We ask that you help us create the change this city needs now in this moment. Chicago residents, take action >
If you are interested in the work that CRS is doing around police accountability email me for more information.
With your help, we will create a new way of policing, where our communities are truly safe and whole.
Sincerely,
Sarah Yousuf
Associate Director of City and County Policy