A Cook County judge ordered video of the shooting publicly released last month, setting off a groundswell of protest across the city and persistent calls for the ousters of Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Advertisement
“We know from experience that the Chicago Police Department has not been fair on the exams of entry and promotions”, he said.
The tragic loss of life in Chicago in 2015, coupled with recent scandals around police violence, make clear that under Rahm Emanuel’s leadership, the Chicago police have not only failed to keep Chicagoans safe, but have also contributed to the culture of violence in our city.
Blacks both in and outside the department have long complained about the lack of diversity on the police force, but Wooten said the former officers made a decision to become even more vocal in their criticism now because the McDonald case has shined a national spotlight on the department and federal authorities are investigating the force. He faces six counts of first-degree murder and one of official misconduct in 17-year-old Laquan McDonald’s death.
The group that met with Emanuel included Chicago U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon, Vanita Gupta, who heads the Justice Department’s civil rights division, and other attorneys and staff from the Justice Department’s Washington, D.C., office, according to Joseph Fitzpatrick, spokesman for Fardon. “As part of that process he will continue to engage with residents, police, and community leaders to address their specific concerns”.
A representative for the Justice Department was not immediately available for comment.
The probe is following the release of a dash video showing the shooting death of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke.
McDonald was walking down a street and carrying a knife with a 3-inch blade when he was shot 16 times.
The Justice Department said Wednesday it is having “productive” talks on police reforms in Ferguson, Missouri, where a probe was opened after the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014.
Last month, Van Dyke was charged with a single count of first degree murder, as the Chicago Tribune reported.
Advertisement
A U.S. Department of Justice statement says members of the public are encouraged to call or email to share “information relevant to the investigation”.
