Heads Rolling Among Chicago Police While Mayor Emanuel Escapes Repercussions

Rahm Emanuel nah nah Jim Young:Reuters
Jim Young/Reuters

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is calling for the firing of seven CPD officers for misleading the department about their part in the 2014 shooting of teenager Laquan McDonald. The recommendation is fast on the heels of a series of high-ranking officers who have left the department in one way or another.

The move came after Chicago city Inspector General Joe Ferguson released a report charging that at least five of seven CPD patrolmen lied about the details of the October 2014 shooting in which a 17-year-old suspect was shot up to 16 times despite police video that seems to show the suspect walking away from police, not toward them.

according to CLTV.com, Chicago Police Board Vice President Ghian Foreman noted at this week’s meeting that the board is awaiting formal charges from Superintendent Johnson before going forward and that formal action could still be months away.

These seven officers wouldn’t be the only sacrifices the CPD has made over the McDonald shooting and other such incidents. After several high profile police-involved shootings and jail-house deaths of suspects that have caused unrest and protests in the city, a number of high-ranking members of the Chicago Police force have been fired, retired, or have quit.

Most recently, Deputy Chief David McNaughton resigned from his position. McNaughton was the official who confirmed a ruling that the McDonald shooting was justified.

McNaughton isn’t alone. Interim superintendent John Escalante, who was Chief of Detectives during the McDonald shooting, also resigned. He is taking a job as the head of the Northeastern Illinois University police force. And at the end of last year Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired then-Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. saying the city had lost confidence in the chief.

Meanwhile, recently re-elected Mayor Rahm Emanuel seems to be escaping all repercussions.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.

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