Chicago Police Board issues mixed rulings in COPA–CPD disagreement cases

The Chicago Police Board on May 21 announced the outcomes of five disagreement reviews between the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) and the Chicago Police Department over recommended discipline for officers.

Board member Cynthia Velasquez said that in request-for-review Nos. 26RR15–17 COPA recommended suspensions without pay (up to 30 days) for Officers Curtis Aliquin, Tyler Alexander and Chrisana Dioric for violations tied to a foot pursuit. Velasquez said the superintendent proposed lesser discipline for Aliquin and Dioric and no discipline for Alexander; after review she concluded "the superintendent met the burden of overcoming the chief administrator's recommendations," and she ordered that the superintendent's response be implemented.

Board member Steven Block announced his review of request-for-review Nos. 26RR18–19, in which COPA recommended a 15-day suspension without pay for Officer Reynal Cuellar de la Cruz and a two-day suspension for Officer Virginia Dominguez for alleged violations tied to investigatory stops and searches. Block said the superintendent proposed reduced or no discipline and that, after reviewing the materials, "the superintendent did not meet the burden of overcoming the chief administrator's recommendations for discipline." Block said COPA's recommendations will therefore be accepted; he added that this conclusion does not necessarily mean the officers' actions were unlawful but that the superintendent's written grounds were insufficient to meet the required burden.

Board member Justin Terry announced in request-for-review Nos. 26RR22–23 that COPA recommended 1–29 day suspensions for Officers Lauren Holt and Ariel Williams related to a traffic stop; Terry said the superintendent proposed not‑sustained findings and that "the superintendent did not meet the burden of overcoming the chief administrator's recommendations," so COPA's recommendations are deemed accepted.

President Cooper read the ruling of absent board member Andreas Zafakis for request-for-review No. 26RR20, in which COPA recommended a 30–90 day suspension for Officer Lawrence Malong for alleged use of excessive force in a holding cell. Cooper said Zafakis found that "the superintendent met the burden of overcoming the chief administrator's recommendation" and ordered that the superintendent's response be implemented.

In request-for-review No. 26RR21 concerning Officer Matthew Sprain and an alleged use of force during a search, Cooper said the reviewing board member concluded the superintendent did not meet the burden to overcome COPA's recommendation and that COPA's recommendation will be accepted.

Cooper said written opinions explaining the board members' reasoning will be posted to the Police Board's website and sent to the parties after the meeting.

The board also took final action on a separate set of appeals by applicants disqualified from the CPD hiring list: the board moved to affirm the disqualification decisions for appeals 26AA03, 26AA04 and 26AA05 and to reverse the disqualification for appeal 26AO2; Cooper said the motion passed and that written decisions will be posted and sent to the parties.

No formal penalties other than those announced were enacted at the meeting; the board noted in several rulings that an arbitrator could reach a different conclusion after a full hearing, and said a number of disciplinary cases remain on hold pending a separate appeal now before the Supreme Court of Illinois.