Today’s number: 124
Monday, Feb 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune looked at the number of lawsuits filed against Chicago cops…
The city since 2009 has settled seven lawsuits against Campbell, a 17-year veteran officer. He ties for second among officers named in the most lawsuits settled by the city during those past six years, the Tribune’s analysis of available data shows. His partner during the Guzman arrest, Sautkus, was named in four settled cases.
Both are part of a small group of officers — just 124 of the city’s police force of roughly 12,000 — who were identified in nearly a third of the misconduct lawsuits settled since 2009, suggesting that officers who engaged in questionable behavior did it over and over. The Tribune’s investigation also found that 82 percent of the department’s officers were not named in any settlements. Still, the conduct of those 124 officers cost the city $34 million, the Tribune investigation found.
The Tribune also found that while many officers as well as police union officials attribute claims of misconduct to the rough and tumble of working in crime-ridden neighborhoods, complaints against Campbell, Sautkus and their colleagues have often occurred while the group patrolled relatively low-crime areas, focused on quality-of-life issues.
* Related…
* 3 Koschman cops face punishment; 3 quit, avoid sanctions
* Street cops say ‘ACLU effect’ drives spike in gun violence: But the ACLU rejects any correlation between declining street stops and rising violence, said Karen Sheley, director of police practices for the ACLU of Illinois. Other cities have scaled back their street stops without an explosion of shootings, she said.
* Bloody start to the year as Chicago Police investigate FIFTY murders last month making it the city’s worst January for homicides since 2000
* Police: 6 killed, 23 wounded in Chicago weekend shootings
* Chicago Police exchange gunfire with suspect in West Ridge
* Police: Four armed robberies in just two hours on NW Side
* Jail inmates target female guards, lawyers with sexual abuse
- Steve - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:15 am:
It’s all the Republicans fault for not spending more money on community programs. Everyone knows the Republicans have had a powerful influence on Chicago’s City Council for decades.
- Downstate Hack - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:20 am:
Black lives matter, including those shot this weekend. I understand the outrage by Black leaders on some outrageous Police actions, but where is the outrage and protest about 6 killed and 20 wounded this weekend.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:35 am:
===but where is the outrage and protest about 6 killed and 20 wounded this weekend===
There have been countless community actions on this topic over the years. You are being willfully ignorant if you believe otherwise.
- Enlightened - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:42 am:
===but where is the outrage and protest about 6 killed and 20 wounded this weekend.====
Black community leaders protest violence in Chicago all of the time, taking to the streets of the South and West side. It might not be reported downstate, but this demonstrations occur all of the time. Black on black violence is real, and there is NO excuse for ignorance int the 21st century.
The men of Alpha Phi Alpha protesting on Chicago’s South Side demanding an end to violence in their communities.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alphas-in-the-streets-march_us_565364c2e4b0879a5b0be458
- Payback - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:56 am:
Pass legislation allowing local units of government to opt out of paying legal costs for police sued for civil rights violations and defense of criminal charges. Make police pay for their own legal defense when accused of crimes.
Amend the SB1304 body cam bill to criminalize destruction of evidence by police and mandate the recordings be retained for one year.
Accomplish these two things and watch police misconduct cases decline by 90% overnight, saving taxpayers millions.
- Pacman - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:07 am:
Payback @ 10:56. It’s already against the law to destroy evidence and if cities don’t indemnify police officers you will see a ninety percent decline in police officers. Good luck with that!
- Sir Reel - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:28 am:
Repeated misconduct costing the city millions suggest these officers should have been terminated. I bet the union fought and will continue to fight against needed housecleaning.
- Cassandra - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:37 am:
How about the idea of having police officers carry insurance-maybe partially paid by the city and partially by the officers themselves. Someone else has discussed this idea, seems like it would be a way of highlighting problem officers as car insurance companies highlight problem drivers. One accident,ok, maybe two-but six, ten, c’mon.
Rates go up, for the city and the officer.
- Payback - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:53 am:
Pacman- in Sen. Raoul’s SB1304 body cam bill which I referred to, destruction of evidence from a body cam or dash cam is NOT a crime. That’s why only two of five dashcams were “working” at the scene of the Laquan Macdonald shooting. Police know they can ignore the mandate.
‘…if cities don’t indemnify police officers you will see a ninety percent decline in police officers.’ Great! Maybe the police they hire will be better quality people who know they won’t be protected legally if they hurt the citizens who pay them.
I heard a report on WBBM AM today that the Chicago Police Dept. is testing now and they pay about $46K to start and rising to $72K in 18 months. That’s good pay even in Chicago considering C.P.D. does not require a bachelors degree. There is no shortage of people who want a gun & badge no matter what the pay.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:55 am:
–It’s all the Republicans fault for not spending more money on community programs. Everyone knows the Republicans have had a powerful influence on Chicago’s City Council for decades. –
Where did that come from?
Aren’t you supposed to hear a bell before you start drooling like that?
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:57 am:
– The Tribune’s investigation also found that 82 percent of the department’s officers were not named in any settlements. Still, the conduct of those 124 officers cost the city $34 million, the Tribune investigation found.–
Most cops are just there to do a tough job. But there are cowboys.
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 12:05 pm:
==It’s all the Republicans fault for not spending more money on community programs. Everyone knows the Republicans have had a powerful influence on Chicago’s City Council for decades.==
Our resident Victim in Chief has spoken. Sheesh.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 12:24 pm:
Establish a mindset of little tolerance for those who abuse their power and act inappropriately. Fire them. The dollars saved in public victim settlements can certainly pay the legal fees with the union; a union that also needs to understand that rogue officers do harm to both the community and the heavy majority of their members.
- Cassandra - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 12:49 pm:
I think the union probably does understand that. But they have a fiduciary responsibility to represent their members, I presume. I have met union reps who said they wished their opponents (the govt’s rep in the discharge hearing) were a little more competent. Maybe this is an area where paying for better legal representation would benefit the govt and the citizens.
- jerry 101 - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
Saw this:
http://chicagoist.com/2016/02/01/in_the_past_12_years_taxpayers_spen.php
$624 million in police misconduct settlements over the past 12 years. Perhaps the union and officers on the streets should think about that. That’s a lot of cheese that could have gone to their pensions, but never will because of the actions of a few bad cops.
Rauner and Rahm are coming for the police pensions, too.
- Tone - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 2:37 pm:
“Rauner and Rahm are coming for the police pensions, too.”
Why should they be excluded?
- truthteller - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 2:45 pm:
Isn’t one of the detectives involved in the Koschman case employed by the AG? Is he still there?
- Paceman - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 6:38 pm:
@Payback- I get where your coming from now that you stereotyped all cops as not good or lesser quality people. “There is no shortage of people who want a gun & badge no matter what the pay.” You know not what you speak. It takes a special person to run toward danger when everyone else is running away.
Go on a ride-along with your local PD then get back to me.