Some #FYI while we wait, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (aka CCPSA) was created in 2021 by City Council ordinance. It focuses on advancing systemic reforms to public safety & accountability thru a collaborative effort between police & residents.

The meeting began at 6:36

Commissioners Driver, Gottlieb, Minor, and Wortham are present.

Public comment has started - first speaker insists that CCPSA should be the one to draft an ordinance regarding traffic stops, rather than punt to another body. Speaker urges, constituents fought very hard for the power of this commission and they should be the ones to draft it.

Public Speakers are recounting personal stories of pretextual stops that have caused harm to someone close to them.

Another public comment: "I think CCPSA should be holding cop watch trainings. If you can't do that you need to be coordinating them."

A rep from Chicago Appleseed is expressing frustration with how long CCPSA is taking to act and draft legislation with community input. chicagoappleseed.org

Another speaker from the 15th district is describing their police accountability tribunal with input from constituents. "one thing I have learned is that CPD is excellent at telling us what they CANT do. We'd like to know what they CAN do."

Another speaker urges to not let the legislation for pretextual stops to go to consent decree rather than the policy being drafted by the commission.

"The police should not being investigating itself. It can't investigate itself. COPA should be investigating this."

@AldermanLaSpata also praised the Free To Move coalition for pushing for the first hearing on pretextual stops. He also agrees that punting to the consent decree is a mistake. "There is no ethical version of a pretextual traffic stop...conceptually it erodes public trust."

@AldermanLaSpata An individual from the audience was invited to fill the spot of the tenth public comments. Speaker cites high homicide rates, especially compared to other major cities. He is frustrated with all the evidence and still only inaction.

@AldermanLaSpata Public comment is over. They have voted to approve previous meeting minutes and the 2025 Meeting Schedule.

@AldermanLaSpata General Order 11 (GO 11) up for approval -- a 9 month effort with CCPSA. It established the following:

@AldermanLaSpata educations the police on CCPSA and sets expectation that commanders attend public meetings. Lays out a process for submitting requests for records.

@AldermanLaSpata Commander will collaborate with district council and officers will make effort to participate.

@AldermanLaSpata requires district level CPD contact

@AldermanLaSpata It also requires CCPSA involvement in CPD outreach. The General Order ultimately sets guidelines for how CPD will collaborate with district councils and CCPSA.

@AldermanLaSpata G01-11 and G01-11-01 are both approved by the commission.

@AldermanLaSpata They are now voting on adopting rules for public comment and decorum amendment to commission bylaws. The amendment will be available on the website: chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

@AldermanLaSpata Commission Minor is recommending adopting additional language prohibiting personal demeaning, intimidating, and defamatory comments. The Chair was not aware of the amendment language ahead of time -- they are considering tabling this new language to discuss at a future meeting.

@AldermanLaSpata Commissioner Gottlieb urges to table in order to ensure new language extends to the behavior of commissioners as well as public comments. The vote is tabled.

Next agenda item is a vote to confirm NAC appointments. Commissioner Minor acknowledges that current federal administration makes it even more important that immigrant and minority communities feel safe.

Commissioner Minor mentions that the board is not fully representative of the diversity of the community and is asking for recommendations to fill those roles from the community.

4 new members are confirmed to the NAC

Commission is now voting on strategic goals for Police board, COPA, and CPD. The Commission met with each agency, drafted goals and then gave agencies time to respond to drafted goals. Final goals will be published and at the end of year their progress will be assessed by CCPSA

Police Board President Cooper is invited to discuss the goals. "We're really looking forward to beginning this process of evaluating and determining what rules need to modified, updated or discarded."

He expresses excitement at having conversations with the community and all stakeholders. He accepts the goals set forth by CCPSA.

The goals are approved by a vote and adopted.

COPA Goals are now being discussed: 1- draft a policy about communication with media 2-implement pattern & practice investigation policy & mechanism 3 - Create a mediation policy 4- Implement finalized policy that defines and supports collaboration with CCPSA

COPA Chief Admin Andrea Kersten discusses the goals and emphasizes their need to be independent and develop communication policy. Emphasizes that mediation is the single most important topic. She describes mediation as 'hoping to create transformation'.

COPA Chief Admin Kersten accepts goals and the commission votes to a adopt their 2025 goals.

CPD 2025 goals are discussed: 1-Traffic Stop policy incorporating community input throughout development 2-Workforce allocation -- based on a study that is currently ongoing. Sets expectation that they will implement the plan set forth.

continued: 3 - Implement mechanism for tracking and reporting Police associated with criminal and biased orgs. 4- Foster a collaborative partnership with the public 5-Member wellness and support Reminder: goals will be published in detail at chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

CPD Superintendent Snelling acknowledges that building trust takes time. Emphasizes the officers have also acted on orders from previous administrations. He redirects focus to leadership, including himself. He emphasizes addressing traumatized officers in the process.

"Policy development is not just about the CPD or CCPSA. It's also about input from the community members. We're going to take everything into consideration."

Snelling believes that putting policy into a consent decree will lead to sustained policies after his time in leadership, or any individual leader.

Snelling emphasizes the significance of civilian roles is mutual understanding between civilians and police. "The key is to get all of our officers community minded."

Snelling says "If I say community first, I got it backwards." Emphasizing that he puts the best officers into the community. Regarding affiliation with criminal associations, he says "I would love for someone else to do that investigation".

He suggest that of there is a investigative task force, it should not stop at CPD. "Racism is Racism," he says.

Superintendent Snelling accepts the goals and the commission votes to adopt them.

CCPSA President clarifies-a federal judge decides whether pretextual stop is part of the consent decree. The Commission wants to be able to write these policies AND accepts if it is to be included in the consent decree, along with the commission. It about a need for enforcement.

Details of the consent decree will be written & made public. Traffic stop policy will begin to be drafted likely next week. More Traffic Stop listening sessions will take place. Focus groups will be scheduled. There is also a community survey online here: forms.office.com/g/6x8xWgsVGF

Commissioner Minor shares an apology for a past meeting or meetings where community members felt unwelcome.

She also recommends rotating commissioner engagement with the community so the pubic can become acquainted with the diverse perspectives of the commissioners.

Commissioner Wortham urges the public to watch meetings and ensure that this listening sessions are open to a diverse range of opinions. The incident happened at last Friday's listening session. She is defending her response to Friday's incident.

Commissioner Gottlieb wants to focus on looking forward that listening sessions are open and that the entire commission is part of policy drafting, not just one working group.

Next listening session is on Feb 20 in the 8th police district. Information will be on the website and shared to the CCPSA mailing list. Meeting is adjourned at 8:05pm.

This concludes the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability public meeing. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb 27, 2025. For more meeting coverage, check out . Thanks everyone! chicago.documenters.org