Residents push Chicago police oversight agency to end certain traffic stops

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago residents condemned pretextual traffic stops by police officers as discriminatory and dishonest during a special meeting this week by the city’s new civilian police oversight board.

Alees Edwards, a member of the 11th District Police Council, described how officers stopped a young man in front of his home for having his car lights on while the street lights were on.

“They were threatening to break his window and drag him out of the car,” Edwards said. “He did end up getting out. They tossed his car, which was an illegal search that they did to his glove compartment box.”

John Choi, a prosecutor from Minnesota, told the panel his decision three years ago to end traffic stops for non-public safety issues like broken taillights has made no change in crime rates.

He added, though, that his decision to implement such a policy was the most controversial he’s ever made as a Minnesota prosecutor. He encouraged people to acknowledge how hard the move would be for some police departments.

“It takes a tremendous amount of courage because everybody in policing has been raised to believe that anything that wouldn’t use this type of strategy is heresy,” Choi said.

The policy, Choi noted, has allowed police to focus on solving crime. 14th District Council Member David Orlikoff said that would be the kind of change that residents want to see.

“There is a real frustration that police are not responding to over half of 911 calls, as reported by the inspector general of Chicago, and are instead violating constitutional and civil rights,” Orlikoff said.

Various speakers at the meeting cited studies that show Black drivers are disproportionately stopped for low-level offenses.

Chief Angel Novalez told the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability that the Chicago Police Department wants traffic stops added to the federal consent decree. Novalez added that CPD is planning to hold training on making sure stops are constitutional.

“These trainings will include an eight-hour foundational course and an eight-hour practical scenario-based course for officers,” Novalez said.

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