Review of Compliance with the City of Chicago’s Video Release Policy for Use of Force Incidents

The Public Safety Section of the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has concluded a compliance evaluation of the City of Chicago’s release of materials pursuant to its Video Release Policy (Policy). The Policy requires that the City publicly release, within 60 days of incident, “videotape and audiotape and certain specified police reports” related to specified types of use-of-force incidents – certain types of firearms discharges, taser discharges resulting in death or great bodily harm, and use-of-force against individuals in police custody resulting in death or great bodily harm involving Chicago Police Department (CPD or the Department) members. OIG’s evaluation found that COPA is not in full compliance with the requirements of the Policy in that COPA does not publicly release all relevant materials for all use-of-force incidents mandated by the Policy within 60 days of the incident. OIG’s evaluation also found the following: 1. Inconsistent with the Policy, COPA does not always post video, audio, and police documents within 60 days of the incident date; 2. CPIC personnel’s lack of understanding of notification guidelines render it uncertain as to whether CPIC has notified COPA of all relevant use-of-force incidents; and 3. COPA exercises inadequately guided discretion in releasing materials other than those mandated for release by the Policy.