Congresswoman Kelly Supports Civil Rights Investigation into Chicago Police Department

Statement

Congresswoman Robin Kelly issued the following statement regarding the Department of Justice's decision to investigate the Chicago Police in the wake of the Laquan McDonald Case:

I applaud U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch's decision to investigate the processes and procedures of the Chicago Police Department to get at the heart of the lingering questions raised not only by the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, but by past incidents involving CPD officers that have eroded public trust in the department.

The McDonald case is emblematic of a larger, pervasive problem with policing in America. From Ferguson to Cleveland, from Baltimore to New York City, we have seen example after example of police interactions resulting in the wrongful death of a person of color. The pain of these killings for the victims' families and the communities at large is then compounded by the evasive and circuitous actions of law enforcement and local officials designed to frustrate justice. This now predictable pattern has fostered deep mistrust and fear of law enforcement in communities of color, undermining the many good police officers who serve honorably every day and erecting a barrier between the police and the community that jeopardizes public safety.

I believe this examination is essential to establishing a national standard for effective policing in communities of color. It is also a vital step in restoring the public's trust in law enforcement by helping to create a fairer, more equitable system of justice for all Americans.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly is Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus' Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

Source