Madigan Requests Wide-Ranging Federal Probe Of Chicago Police Department
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is rejecting calls by Attorney General Lisa Madigan for a new and wide-ranging federal investigation of Chicago police practices.
She says the shooting of Laquan McDonald, is not an isolated incident and that the investigation would go well beyond that one incident, looking into what a New York Times editorial this morning called, "a historically corrupt law enforcement agency that is well-versed in the art of hiding misconduct, brutality, even torture."
"I think it's absolutely imperative we have an independent outside expert come in and do a review to determine, Is there an excessive use of force?" Madigan told CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine. "Is there accountability when there are allegations of police misconduct?"
Madigan says the investigation by the U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division would be different from an ongoing federal probe into the McDonald shooting and the mayor's task force, created yesterday to evaluate CPD policies and procedures.
"This is a completely independent outside entity ... who has enforcement authority," Madigan said. "I think the mayor should welcome this."
"There's nothing wrong with having good people from Chicago with good suggestions and making changes. But I think in terms of what has taken place, for us to move forward, the best thing to do is have an outside independent investigation."
The mayor didn't welcome Madigan's idea.
"To set up another investigation while the other hasn't concluded is wrong," Emanuel said at a question and answer session on Wednesday. "Hitting the restart button won't get us to that comprehensive solution. I wouldn't want to start over because it will take time."
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Safer just finished a two-year investigation into police accountability.
"I'd want as many eyes as possible on this problem," Safer said. "I'd welcome a federal investigation if I were the mayor, a federal investigation from wherever."
At the White House, President Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest, seemed to agree.
"There are limits on the President about what he can say publicly based on his desire to avoid the perception that he's somehow interfering with an independent, ongoing investigation," Earnest said.
"The President is determined, is committed, to the idea of these independent investigations."
As of Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch had not responded to Madigan's request.
