Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Police Board met Sept. 15 to impose an eighteen month suspension on an officer for violating department rules.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the board:

Board members present: President Lori E. Lightfoot, Vice President Ghian Foreman, Eva-Dina Delgado, Michael Eaddy, Rita A. Fry, John H. Simpson (via audio conference), and Rhoda D. Sweeney.

Board members absent: None

Others present: Superintendent of Police Eddie T. Johnson, General counsel to the superintendent Charise Valente, Indepent Police Review authority general counsel Helen O'Shaughnessy, Police Board executive director Max A. Caproni, and members of the public.

President Lightfoot called the meeting to order. She reported that Mr. Simpson is unable to attend the meeting in person and wishes to attend via audio conference. Vice president Foreman move to permit attendance via audio conference. The motion passed by a vote of 6 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

1. Ms. Sweeney moved to approve the minutes of the board's regular public meeting held on August 18, 2016. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

2. President Lightfoot announced that the board's next regular public meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2016, at Chicago Public Safety headquarters. Mr. Fry move to close a series of executive sessions of the board for the purposes of considering litigation and personnel matters, as authorized by sections 2(c)(1),(3),(4), and (11) of the Illinois Open meetings act. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

3. President Lightfoot stated that a report of disciplinary actions taken by the board during the previous month appears in the blue books made available at the meeting, and she noted that his report and the board's written findings and decisions are posted on the board's website. She then announced that the board considered in a closed meeting two disciplinary cases, and that the board will now take final action on these cases.

- Case No. 16 PB 2899. Ms. Fry moved to find police officer John Loconsole guilty of violating department rules by working secondary employment while on the medical roll, and to suspend him for eighteen months. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed. Ms. Fry moved to adopt the written findings and decision that have been reviewed by all board members who participated in the case. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

- Case No. 16 PB 2903. Ms Fry moved to find police officer Dana Bryant guilty of making false statements to an officer and a sergeant in the medical services section, and to discharge her from the Chicago Police Department. The motion passed by a vote of 5 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Fry, and Sweeney) to 2 opposed (Eaddy and Simpson). Ms Fry moved to adopt the written findings and decision and dissent that have been reviewed by all board members who participated in the case. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

President Lightfoot stated that the decisions in the above cases will be entered as of today's date and will be issued to the parties, and that a copy of each written decision will be posted in the board's website within ten business days pursuant to the municipal code of Chicago.

Vice president Foreman reported that pursuant to section 2-57-060(c) of the municipal code of Chicago, a panel of three members of police board, as authorized by the open meetings act, considered in a closed meeting one matter on which the Chief administrator of the independent police review authority and the superintendent of police did not agree regarding the discipline of a police officer. Vice president Foreman announced that the members of the panel - board members Delgado, Foreman, and Simpson - will now take final action to resolve the issue regarding the recommendation for discipline.

- Case No. 16 RP 02. Ms. Delgado moved to find that the superintendent's response does not meet the burden of overcoming the Chief administrator's recommendation for discipline of Police officer Michael Mette for engaging in the use of excessive force while on duty. The motion passed by a vote of 3 in favor (Delgado, Foreman, and Simpson) to 0 opposed.

4. President Lightfoot announced that copies of the general orders and other directives issued by the superintendent of police during the previous month are listed in the blue books and are available on the police department's website.

5. President Lightfoot noted that the next item of business is the superintendent's report. Ms. Fry moved that the oral presentation be waived, and that the report be received in writing. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.

6. President Lightfoot called upon those members of the public who had signed up in advance to speak.

- Crista Noel spoke about a recent United Nations report on civil rights and police use of force in the United States.

- President Lightfoot called upon the following individuals and there was no response: Beatrice Suarez, Dorothy Holmes, Darva Watkins, Queen Sister, and Robert More.

President Lightfoot stated that all persons that had signed up in advance to speak had been called. Ms. Fry moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed by a vote of 7 in favor (Lightfoot, Foreman, Delgado, Eaddy, Fry, Simpson, and Sweeney) to 0 opposed.