The City of Chicago recently announced plans to conduct a comprehensive study of police staffing, with the goal of making department-wide recommendations that will be shared with the public. The study, which could cost up to $1 million, is a result of the federal lawsuit Illinois v. Chicago, which was initiated following the tragic murder of teenager Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer in 2014.
The study is a key component of the 2019 consent decree that mandates CPD to implement various reforms under the supervision of a federal judge and an independent monitoring team. The decree includes requirements such as maintaining a 1:10 ratio of field supervisors to officers and not moving supervisors around frequently.
Despite these requirements, CPD has faced challenges in meeting the workforce mandates outlined in the consent decree, particularly due to the absence of a comprehensive staffing study. This study aims to address these challenges and ensure compliance with the decree’s workforce requirements.
In the past, CPD has conducted internal and external workforce studies, but the results have not been widely released or implemented. The upcoming study, conducted by Matrix Consulting Group, will analyze CPD’s current staffing, organizational structure, and allocation strategies to develop recommendations for improvement.
One of the key issues highlighted in the article is the lack of transparency surrounding the study, including how the vendor was chosen, the budget allocation, and the city’s legal agreement with the funders. This lack of transparency has raised concerns among residents, activists, and city officials who are eager to ensure that the study leads to meaningful reform within CPD.
Overall, the workforce study represents a critical step towards improving police staffing and accountability in Chicago. By addressing the longstanding challenges within CPD and implementing the recommendations from the study, the city can work towards building a more effective and transparent police department that serves and protects all residents.
