Federal government to examine Chicago Police Department’s use of force

The Justice Department has opened 23 investigations of police departments since the start of the Obama administration. After announcing McCarthy had stepped down, Emanuel told reporters the former police superintendent had “become an issue rather than dealing with the issue”. One of the officers re-holstered his weapon, but Johnson fled, knocking the officer down.

Van Dyke had been on site less than 30 seconds, and out of his vehicle for six seconds, when he started shooting, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has said.

Investigators will observe officer activities through ride-alongs and other means, as well as review documents and specific incidents.

Emanuel and Alvarez both said they won’t resign.

This item has been corrected to show that Hernandez is not the second officer to be charged.

With aftershocks from the release of the video showing McDonald’s shooting still rumbling through Chicago, a dashcam video of another fatal police shooting is about to be released. Demonstrators have marched in protest since the video’s release on November 24.

IL lawmakers are pushing legislation to make it easier to see videos depicting shootings by police. Mayor Rahm Emanuel argued that he did not release the recording because he did not want to interfere with the investigation. The shooting was recorded, but the footage was not released until the charges were filed last month. McSweeney says the legislation puts that action upfront because of the delay in releasing the McDonald video. The officer has been charged with murder and the city’s police chief was forced to resign.

“It takes time to rebuild trust broken in a community”, he added.

The investigation’s goal, if problems are found, will be to correct the system and “seek a court-enforceable agreement” with the city to protect people’s civil rights and well being, she said.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has fired McCarthy after a public outcry over the handling of the case of a black teenager shot 16 times by a white police officer.

“We welcome the engagement of the Department of Justice as we work to restore trust in our police department and improve our system of police accountability”, said Adam Collins, spokesman for Emanuel.

The inquiry will be broader than the federal investigation already under way into the videotaped police killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald last year. Police and police union officials initially reported that McDonald had lunged at Van Dyke, leading the officer to believe his life was in danger.

IPRA is the independent agency that investigates allegations of Chicago police misconduct.

The Justice Department is now negotiating with Ferguson, Mo., after finding widespread abuses in its Police Department and municipal courts.

It is conducting an investigation of the Baltimore Police Department in the wake of this year’s death of Freddie Gray after an injury that allegedly took place in a police van.

“Every American expects and deserves the protection of law enforcement that is effective, that is responsive, that is respectful, and most importantly constitutional”, Lynch said. John Escalante will be holding a separate news conference Monday at 3 p.m.to discuss the latest turn of events.

Oppenheimer has vigorously disputed that Johnson ever had a gun.

Johnson’s relatives have pressed Chicago officials for squad auto video of the shooting and filed lawsuits.

The announcement of a pattern-and-practice investigation comes after a police report released over the weekend showed information contradictory to what appeared on the video.