Attorney General Jeff Sessions continued his relentless assault on a proposed consent decree that would increase federal monitoring of the Chicago Police Department in a speech Friday, calling it “an insult” to the Windy City’s men and women in blue.
“Micromanaging the CPD through a federal court isn’t just unjustified — it is an insult,” Mr. Sessions said in the speech. “We do not need to treat Chicago’s officers like some sort of rogue police department because of the actions of a few.”
Later, Mr. Sessions said, “Chicago police are not the problem, they are the solution.”
Mr. Sessions remake came before a group of business and law enforcement officials, including John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
Chicago agreed to impose the consent decree last month after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued the Chicago police, alleging they engaged in civil rights violations and excessive force. If approved, the pact would implement federal court monitoring of the Chicago Police Department.
The consent decree would also hang dozens of regulations on the department, including publishing use-of-force data, reducing use of Tasers and documenting each time an officer draws their weapon.
In a court filing last week seeking to block the decree, the Justice Department said it would tie the hands of police. The Justice Department urged the federal judge to reject it when it he reviews it later the month.
Mr. Sessions, in his speech, took a shot at Ms. Madigan and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who both announced they won’t seek reelection. That would leave no one accountable for the consent decree, Mr. Sessions said.
“The proposed decree would transfer control to two retiring politicians and a federal judge,” Mr. Sessions said. “Three people basically decide how to run this department and one of them will be accountable to the people of Chicago.”
Emanuel spokesman Matt McGrath responded on Twitter, by attacking Mr. Sessions’ fractured relationship with President Trump.
“Will make a bet,” Mr. McGrath wrote. “MRE and AG Madigan will be in their current office longer than Jeff Sessions.”
The attorney general revived his frequent gripe about a 2016 agreement reached between Chicago and the ACLU, which barred the controversial practice of “stop-and-frisk” and required increased documentation of the city’s street stops.
“If you let ACLU set police policy, crime will go up,” he said.
Last week, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest fighting the new consent decree. It is expected to be reviewed by a federal judge later this month.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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