City Council again rejects changes to Chicago Police disciplinary rules
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago City Council on Thursday again rejected an effort by the Fraternal Order of Police to upend the police disciplinary system.
In their new contract, the FOP Lodge 7 fought to have hearings for officers facing serious misconduct cases, rather than a public hearing.
During contract negotiations with the FOP last year, arbitrator Edwin Benn ruled that officers facing a suspension of at least a year or termination have the right to have their cases decided by an arbitrator rather than the Chicago Police Board.
The City Council voted 33-16 in December to reject that ruling, but Benn reaffirmed his decision last month, putting the ball back in the council's court.
On Thursday, the Council voted 32-18 to reject the ruling again.
Mayor Brandon Johnson called the vote Thursday a victory.
"The people of Chicago elected me to bring transformation and transparency to how we handle accusations of misconduct," the mayor said, "and those accusations of misconduct should happen in the forefront – in the public – where people can actually witness it."
The fight is far from over. The FOP is promising to take the issue to court.