Statement from Police Board President Kyle Cooper on Upcoming Illinois Supreme Court Oral Argument

I look forward to the Illinois Supreme Court's oral argument on September 24 and to the Court's ultimate decision on the important question of whether arbitration proceedings for the most serious police disciplinary cases shall be open to the public. Whatever the Court decides, I continue to encourage Chicago police officers facing the most serious disciplinary charges to choose to have their cases heard and decided by the Chicago Police Board.

The Police Board is an independent civilian body made up entirely of Chicago residents who share a personal stake in the safety of our city and the integrity of its Police Department. Unlike potential arbitrators who may have no connection to Chicago, we live in the communities affected by our decisions, and we understand that getting these cases right matters both to the public and to the officers who serve it. That means holding officers accountable when the facts and the law establish serious misconduct. It also means clearing officers when the evidence does not establish the charges against them so they can return to the difficult, dangerous, and too often thankless work of protecting the people who live, work, and visit our great city.

There is also a practical reason for officers to choose the Police Board: the Board is ready and able to hear disciplinary cases now. The same is not true of arbitration. Even after the Supreme Court rules, the City and the union will still need to establish an arbitration process before disciplinary cases can proceed in that forum. Until they do, these cases will remain at a standstill, extending an already lengthy period of uncertainty for accused officers, alleged victims, and the public. In fact, as of today, 27 serious disciplinary cases are on hold because of the ongoing litigation and the absence of an established arbitration process.

Officers should not have to spend years with serious charges hanging over them. Alleged victims should not have to wait years for resolution. And Chicago residents should not have to wait years to learn whether serious allegations against a public servant have been proven.

This delay serves no one. It leaves serious disciplinary charges unresolved and imposes significant costs on taxpayers. For example, if an officer ultimately prevails and is entitled to back pay, every additional month increases the potential financial burden on the City and its taxpayers. The Police Board offers a fair, transparent, and established process that can bring these cases to resolution now.

Whatever the Illinois Supreme Court decides, the Board remains ready to do its job: hear the evidence, apply the law, protect the rights of accused officers, hold officers accountable for proven misconduct, and give the public confidence that the most serious police disciplinary cases are decided fairly and on their merits.

# # #