…In 2015 Alone!
By Ken Hare
Chicago Defender Staff Writer
In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Defender, our Editorial Board got the opportunity to talk with a couple of members of the Police Accountability Task Force (PATF). Lori Lightfoot and Professor Randolph Stone, from the University of Chicago. They both were engaging and seemed genuinely sincere in their efforts despite being painted as political lackeys of Mayor Emanuel, as some activist has accused them.
The PATF, comprised of five members that held public meetings across the city to engage the public, giving them an opportunity to vent their frustrations as well as offer suggestions for reforming the Chicago Police department. In the wake of the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, there were large protests in the central business district amid calls for Mayor Emanuel and Anita Alvarez’s resignations.
In all, the PATF took four months meeting with interested parties including pastors, lawmakers, victim families and policemen and women as well. Last month, they released a 190-page report detailing their findings and offering ideas that could possibly lead to real reforms if taken seriously and implemented.
In 2015, 14, 994 youth were arrested, 14,399 were charged with a crime and only 31 had an attorney present during the interrogation process…
Read the full story in next week’s issue of the Chicago Defender newspaper.
About Post Author
