CHICAGO – Kwame Raoul, Democratic candidate for Attorney General, issued the following statement regarding the draft consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department. State Senator Raoul serves as Chair of the Judiciary Committee and Vice Chair of the Criminal Law Committee.
“It is great to see Attorney General Lisa Madigan stepping up where Jeff Sessions stepped back. It reminds us how important it is to have a proactive attorney general who is ready and willing to defend civil rights when the federal government neglects or attacks them.
As a state senator, I’ve had the opportunity to pass meaningful law enforcement reform, including standards for body cameras, a ban on chokeholds, and training in the appropriate use of force. Through the creation of the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission, I’ve also helped bring about justice for those whose lives were devastated by past police abuse.
Chicago has a painful legacy to confront and an urgent need to reform, and this must be done openly and with the full involvement of the communities being policed for the consent decree to be successful.
I look forward to reviewing this draft and listening to the public’s contributions over the next few weeks.”
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