Police accountability advocates from across the city gathered on the Southwest Side Thursday evening, continuing their calls for a public hearing with Chicago Police Department leadership to address CPD’s response to — and relationship with — the federal government and its immigration crackdown.
The February meeting of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, held at Gurdon Hubbard High School in West Lawn, saw far fewer attendees than the commission’s January meeting, but the calls were largely the same: The commission must compel CPD leadership to publicly answer questions about the department’s tactics during Operation Midway Blitz.
“I’m angry, I’m frustrated and I’m really tired of hearing from my constituents, ‘What are we doing? What are we doing? What are we doing?’” Erin Vogel, a council member in CPD’s Deering (9th) District, told the commission. “This feels like we’re moving at a snail’s pace. When I think about the consequence to that — the real, tangible fear in our communities — that terrifies me that we won’t be prepared, that we as an accountability body are not taking proactive steps to just have a hearing.”
Thursday’s meeting was held about 3 miles south of where in October a federal agent shot a woman, Marimar Martínez, who was following them in a vehicle. In the months that followed, more than 2,000 people signed a petition to force CCPSA to hold a listening session on federal agents’ tactics. That session was held last month at Thalia Hall in Pilsen, with hundreds of people attending.
Elianne Bahena, a council member in the Ogden (10th) District, which covers Little Village, was detained by immigration authorities that same month. Bahena also serves as chief of staff to 22nd Ward Ald. Mike Rodriguez.
“Today marks the second time this issue has come before you without the full accountability the residents requested. So I’m asking you, how many times do we have to ask for it?” Bahena told the commission.
“I was kidnapped on the streets that I grew up in,” Bahena added. “That same week, my uncle was detained, and it’s been 120 days since we’ve seen him. My community is courageous, we continue to show up, and all we’re asking is that you do the same.”
No representatives from CPD were at Thursday’s meeting, but CCPSA President Remel Terry told the 50 or so attendees that the commission was working to schedule a time when police Superintendent Larry Snelling would be available. In recent months, Snelling has repeatedly stressed that CPD officers do not question a person’s citizenship status or aid with immigration enforcement. However, they may be called to assist with crowd control.
In a statement to the Tribune, a representative for CPD said the department “has been in regular communication with the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) regarding CPD’s policies and practices when responding to incidents involving citizenship status. We are currently working with CCPSA to schedule a date for a public meeting on this topic.”
Tobara Richardson, deputy inspector general for public safety, and LaKenya White, interim chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, each discussed how their agencies investigate alleged police misconduct.
Last month, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order instructing CPD officers to investigate potential wrongdoing by federal agents. The order has since drawn scrutiny from the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, and CCPSA President Terry said Thursday that the commission was still working to understand the full scope of the order.
“We don’t have all the ins and outs,” Terry said. “To my knowledge, we have not spoken with the mayor’s office, the state’s attorney’s office and all the other parties that we need to communicate with, so more to come once we have all that information.”
