From July 2023 to June 2024, the Citizens Police Oversight Committee reviewed 11 complaints related to 37 alleged rule or policy violations. Only seven violations were sustained.
CPOC delivered its semi-annual report to the village board ahead of the meeting Tuesday, detailing its investigations into the complaints. Some trustees complained about the delay in receiving it. Reports are intended to be for the proceeding six months.
“This is about transparency and accountability,” Trustee Lucia Robinson said, adding that she doesn’t want to go so long without an update to the board again. “I want to make sure that there aren’t any breaks in that accountability.”
The CPOC submitted the last report in October 2023, detailing complaints from January 2023 to June 2023. Kira Tchang, village staff liaison to the CPOC, said sometimes regularly scheduled CPOC meetings might be delayed due to a lack of a quorum, and it takes time to analyze the data, but the committee does try to report regularly.
The report
Out of the 11 complaints reviewed in the most recent report, four found an officer in violation of Oak Park Police Department rules and orders. The 11 complaints related to 37 alleged rule or policy violations against 26 police officers or police personnel. And of those 37 alleged violations, 18 were exonerated, 11 were considered unfounded, seven were sustained and one was not sustained, according to the report.
Most rules residents complained were violated related to performance of duty or personal conduct use of force, according to the report. Those complaints were generally exonerated.
Some also complained that a rule regarding knowledge of laws, rules and regulations, policies, procedures and directives was violated. Those complaints were not sustained or unfounded.
Some complaints that were sustained, however, related to obedience to laws, rules and regulations, and courtesy to the public.
When a citizen makes a complaint about the police or department, Tchang explained, police investigate the issue. Investigations may be conducted by a watch commander or internal affairs. Recommendations are then run through a chain of command up to the police chief, who may concur or ask for further investigation.
The police department then notifies the citizen of the action taken. The CPOC subsequently reviews investigations conducted by the police department through police reports, audio or video footage, and by talking to police officers or the chief.
The CPOC can agree or disagree with the police investigation and action taken, but the committee’s vote does not change the outcome directly. CPOC members may disagree with a rule, with the discipline, or with the outcome. But the police chief would have to act on it, if she chose.
“We are strictly a review body, so when we do disagree, all we can really do is note the disagreement,” said Kevin Barnhart, chair of the CPOC. “We don’t have any power to direct the police department to change disciplinary recommendations or outcomes. Sometimes we are in sync, and they’ll update a recommendation, but they’re under no obligation to do so.”
Flock data
The CPOC report also states that from July 2023 to June 2024, there were about 4 million camera scans taken by the eight Flock Automated License Plate Readers in Oak Park. Of those scans, 17 cars triggered Flock alerts, prompting the OPPD to attempt stops.
Of those 17 attempted stops, 15 were for a stolen vehicle, one was for an armed robbery, and one was for a connection to shots fired, according to the CPOC.
According to CPOC, police officers were not able to stop eight of the 17 vehicles, because the driver fled. So only nine Flock stops happened in this period. Of that, CPOC reports that eight arrests were made, and three weapons were confiscated.
Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said the police will report on Flock stops in their annual report in early 2025. In June 2024, a majority of CPOC members recommended Flock ALPRs be removed in Oak Park. Johnson said at the time that Flock is an objective tool the department needs. The board approved the use for two more years.
Johnson confirmed Tuesday that Oak Park only shares Flock data with other police departments in Illinois.
“I’m very mindful as we move into the next four years about what data we are sharing and who has access to that data,” Trustee Brian Straw said. “[Continue] to evaluate to make sure, in particular, that no organization that would be sharing with ICE whether in Illinois or elsewhere has access to our Flock data.”
Upcoming changes
To improve the village’s citizen police oversight capabilities, the board also unanimously approved hiring Pivot Consulting Group to review that function for $100,000.
The CPOC has been in place since about the early 1990’s, Tchang said. Its processes haven’t been reviewed or updated since then.
Pivot specializes in consulting services on police oversight, advocating for civilian oversight in law enforcement. Village Manager Kevin Jackson pointed out that this is a niche field, and the village was fortunate to find a group with expertise and experience. Bart Logue, the team lead, explained to the board Tuesday that Pivot will conduct its work in five phases.
The first is conducting a needs assessment. The group will evaluate the current police oversight model and engage with stakeholders. The second step is to identify best practices and make recommendations for the village model.
Next, Pivot’s team will facilitate consultation sessions, gather feedback and work with the OPPD and CPOC. Then, the team will provide the village with a comprehensive set of recommendations for enhancing civilian oversight. Finally, Pivot will report its findings and provide proposed action plans.
“Oversight builds trust between law enforcement and our communities that we serve,” Logue said. “It improves police accountability and transparency. And if it’s done right, it will foster a safer and more equitable environment for all residents.”
Pivot plans to finish this project by June 2025, but Tchang said Pivot could help with implementation efforts after, too.
“It’s important to continue to evaluate all areas of policing, as policing has just changed so much,” Tchang said. “The relationship between the community and policing has evolved so much since the 90’s.”
