Chicago Police routinely used excessive force, says DOJ

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In a new report, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch says a 13 month probe found that the Chicago Police routinely used excessive force.

Chicago Police excessive force

The Chicago police department has been under heavy scrutiny over office-involved shootings. With the new findings, the city and the DOJ will negotiate a reform plan that would be overseen by a federal judge, Lynch said.

DOJ investigation

The Department of Justice, which began its investigation amid public uproar over the 2014 fatal shooting by Chicago police of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, said it found numerous incidents of unjustified force, including:

• Shooting at fleeing suspects who presented no immediate threat
• Shooting at vehicles without justification
• Using Tasers on people who posed no threat
• Using force to retaliate against and punish people

The Department of Justice’s 161-page report on the probe took issue with the city panel that reviews use of force. In a few cases where the Justice Department determined that force was unnecessary, the city panel found that officers’ actions were justified.

Lack of training

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Chicago’s problems come in part from severely insufficient training and accountability procedures.

“CPD has not provided officers with adequate guidance to understand how and when they may use force, or how to safely and effectively control and resolve encounters to reduce the need to use force,” the report says.

Read the full Justice Department report

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