CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on a federal hearing regarding a plan to reform the Chicago Police Department (all times local):
1:30 p.m.
The president of Chicago’s police union has urged a federal judge to reject a plan for overhauling the police department under close court supervision. He says it’s likely to alienate officers.
Kevin Graham spoke at a hearing Thursday that offered members of the public a chance to tell Judge Robert Dow Jr. what they think of the plan before he decides whether to approve it. Among other things, the proposal calls for stricter rules on the use of force.
Graham said reform plans overseen by courts often don’t work. He also said Chicago doesn’t need one.
He said the plan crafted largely by city and state officials left officers feeling like they’re being unfairly treated. Graham said he doesn’t see how officers are going to “buy into changes.”
Most speakers during the two-day hearing supported the plan, describing it as the best hope for long overdue reforms.
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11:05 a.m.
A mother whose son was killed by a Chicago police officer struggled to keep her composure as she described to a federal judge how she was unable to get basic information about his death for years.
Cynthia Lane spoke Thursday, the second and final day of hearings for members of the public to give their opinions of a draft plan to reform police under court supervision. Judge Robert Dow Jr. will decide later whether to approve it.
The officer shot Lane’s 19-year-old son, Roshad McIntosh, in 2014. A police-oversight agency reopened the case when video raised question about parts of the officer’s account. A lawsuit alleging McIntosh wasn’t armed is still pending.
Lane says the lack of information added to her trauma. She says the reform plan should “mandate families are given as much information as possible” after shootings.
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12:01 a.m.
A Chicago federal judge will resume hearing from members of the public about whether they are for or against a draft plan to reform Chicago police under his supervision.
Some 30 people are expected to address Judge Robert Dow Jr. on Thursday. It’ll be the second and final day of hearings designed for him to gauge opinions as he mulls a decision on whether to approve the plan.
More than 40 people spoke Wednesday. A majority urged Judge Dow to OK the plan. But several police officers described the plan as hopelessly flawed and asked him to reject it.
The Trump administration has criticized the reform plan , also called a consent decree. But it likely has little leverage to scuttle a plan negotiated between the state of Illinois and Chicago.
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