Mayor says Chicago police changes will focus on use of force

Emanuel insisted his call for reforms was part of a national movement demanding more police accountability.

The use of technology has allowed police departments around the globe to keep an eye on the officers, and monitor their activities. Departmental policies have been changed to reflect the de-escalation priority, with the goal of making police and civilian interactions “less confrontational and more conversational”, Emanuel said. “We want to make sure that our officers are not just operating in either first gear or fifth gear, but to recognize the degrees in between so they can respond appropriately to each individual situation, where force can be the last option, not the first choice”, the mayor said.

Van Dyke and other officers on the scene filed reports saying that the teen lunged at the officer with a knife. Van Dyke pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this week.

The shooting occurred just weeks after the Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department. The shooting of LeGrier and Jones came about a month after the McDonald video was released.

The reason for the intensifying outrage over the weekend was yet another tragic fatal shooting by police officers of two black Chicagoans, a teenager and a 55-year-old grandmother, in the wee hours of December 26th.

John Escalante was appointed as interim Superintendent.

Police also said they extended “deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends”. “They have no trust in the mayor”. “The people in charge are continuing to give (some officers) a pass”. Bettie Jones, 55, was shot by accident as she stood behind him near the front door of a two-flat in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. Both victims were black.

The Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney has requested assistance from the FBI in investigating the police-involved shooting that left a 55-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man dead last week. His office said he cut his trip short and returned to Chicago Tuesday.

The Independent Police Review Authority already is under fire for the way it deals with actual shootings.

Currently, about 20% of officers who respond to calls for service have access to Tasers, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

In a press conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Emanuel said, “We must ensure our that officers have the right tactics, the right training, the right technology to resolve tense situations safely and security”. Advocates for the program say that number should be 25 to 35 percent.

Emanuel’s call to expand the number of Tasers comes as some African-American members of the City Council, including 9th Ward Ald.

After all, Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, now indicted for the brutal murder of Laquan McDonald, was on desk duty for more than a year after shooting the 17-year-old 16 times.

Rogers said he didn’t know if officers had dashcam video or other video tapes of the shootings.