Chicago Council of Lawyers Testimony at Consent Decree Hearings

Chicago Council of Lawyers offered testimony at the police accountability Consent Decree hearings this week. A representative of the Civil Liberties Committee gave remarks that went beyond the comments submitted in writing in August of this year.   The testimony began with the acknowledgment...

Chicago Council of Lawyers Comments on the Draft Chicago Police Consent Decree

In July, the Illinois Attorney General, along with Chicago’s mayor and the Chicago Police Superintendent, released a draft consent decree, seeking sustainable reform of the Chicago Police Department's policies and procedures. The decree and other resources concerning the drive to reform the Chicago...

New Court Policy to Provide Public Defenders in Police Stations

Last week, the Cook County Court took an important step forward in ensuring Chicagoans arrested by CPD are able to exercise their constitutional right to an attorney. Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans signed General Administrative Order No. 2017-01 that enables people in the custody of Chicago P...

Chicago Council of Lawyers Releases Statement on Police Accountability Report

In April 2016, the Police Accountability Task Force issued their 190-page report: Recommendations for Reform: Restoring Trust between the Chicago Police and the Communities They Serve. The Report addresses many subjects, ranging from how to improve police-community relations to how to respond to per...

Regulating Stingray Technology:  A Statement from the Chicago Council of Lawyers

he Civil Liberties Committee of the Chicago Council of Lawyers has called on the state of Illinois to regulate the government's use of Stingray technology. On January 20, 2016, Representative Ann Williams of Chicago introduced Illinois House Bill 4470 to regulate the use by government bodies of cell...