Chicago Police Department’s Disciplinary Record-Keeping Failures
Oversight Area: Public Safety
Legitimacy Score: 85/100
Executive Summary
This report documents the findings and impact of oversight activities in Public Safety, treating watchdog functions as essential civic infrastructure rather than sensational exposés.
Key Findings
An audit by Chicago’s Inspector General revealed that between 2016 and 2021, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) failed to document over half of all reprimands and more than a third of all suspensions. This lack of proper record-keeping impedes the ability to ensure accountability for officer misconduct.
Institutional Failure to Self-Correct
The CPD’s inadequate record-keeping is attributed to fragmented coordination among city departments responsible for implementing discipline, including the CPD, the Department of Human Resources, and the Office of Public Safety Administration. This disjointed system has led to incomplete and inaccurate disciplinary records.
Outcome & Impact
The Inspector General’s audit has highlighted significant deficiencies in the CPD’s disciplinary processes, prompting calls for systemic reforms to improve transparency and accountability within the department.
Legitimacy Assessment
With a legitimacy score of 85/100, this oversight represents highly credible and essential civic infrastructure.
Conclusion
Watchdog accountability functions as civic infrastructure, not scandal. This report demonstrates how oversight mechanisms successfully identified and addressed systemic failures.
Generated by JM Global Consortium’s Accountability Division
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