COPA lets public in on police accountability investigation process with People's Academy
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After a Chicago Police officer fires their weapon, you often hear us mention COPA – or the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
The goal of COPA is accountability for officers – and through a new program, members of the community recently got a chance to see how the agency investigates and scrutinizes cases start-to-finish.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar took us behind the scenes Tuesday night.
Surveillance video from Midway International Airport on the evening of Feb. 23 shows a Chicago Police officer on a Segway responding to a man drinking and reportedly harassing passengers at baggage claim.
But it is the officer involved who is now under investigation by COPA. The officer can be seen hitting the man in the head with his radio.
"One of the main goals is to be a factfinding agency; to really try to determine what occurred," said COPA First Deputy Chief Administrator Ephraim Eaddy.
The video was released on Tuesday by COPA. Their policy is to post video publicly within 60 days of a case they are investigating.
COPA's video release rules are just one of the lessons taught at the agency's People's Academy – a six-week course giving the public a chance to learn the ins and outs of the CPD oversight body.
Jennifer Edwards and Michael Ewing Singer both enrolled in the COPA People's Academy.
"For so long, civilian oversight has been a bit polarizing," Eaddy said.
"I said. 'Let's see what COPA's doing,' and it's been interesting," Edwards said.
"We see in the media, officer shootings or incidents, and we only get a snapshot of those incidents," said Singer.
As the accountability agency for the Chicago Police Department, COPA offers recommendations – which sometimes include discipline. Those recommendations are either accepted or rejected by the Chicago Police Department.
A recommendation has yet to be made in the Midway Airport case.
"Although we are the agency that's going to investigate, someone may see the same evidence and the same facts and weigh it differently," Eaddy said.
"It was interesting to learn how and what the processes are and how the decisions are made," said Singer.
While this most recent People's Academy is complete, COPA plans on hosting another one in the fall.
