What is GAPA?

 A coalition of 13 community organizations working in more than 30 wards throughout Chicago,

committed to making our neighborhoods safer, improving police practices and police accountability, and
transforming community-police relations.
 Founded in the summer of 2016 in response to the Police Accountability Task Force’s recommendation to
create a “community oversight board” with “power to oversee CPD, the new CPIA [now COPA] and all
police oversight mechanisms.” The Task Force advised that the board’s “precise powers and makeup
should not be set by the Task Force, but should be developed with broad public input.”
 GAPA works to ensure deep community participation in reform efforts, especially in marginalized
communities most affected by crime, violence and police misconduct.

What was GAPA’s process?

 Lead organizations held 19 “community conversations”: large-scale events attended by 1,700 community
members.
 GAPA has met over 100 times with community leaders throughout Chicago since May 2016 to discuss the
structure and powers of the new oversight board.
 Each organization created a local Steering Committee made up of 10-25 community leaders – people with
broad networks within their communities. From there, a Citywide Steering Committee was formed with
five members of each of the local Steering Committees. These advisory groups met regularly to help
develop the proposal.
 GAPA consulted extensively with practitioners and experts across the country, including other police
commissions and leading scholars on policing and public safety.

What are the key conclusions?

An effective oversight system must be built on four guiding principles:
 SAFETY. The ultimate measure of an effective accountability system is increased public safety.
 TRUST. An effective accountability system must foster and create trust and improve interactions between
and among police officers and Chicago residents.
 The more trust people have in the Police Department,
the more residents and communities will work with the police to fight crime and violence.
 ENGAGEMENT. Just as Chicago residents have a say in how other local government bodies establish
policies, they should have a say in the establishment of Police Department policies. Police policies and
reform plans should reflect community values and
 be informed by residents’ experiences. As in other
aspects of our democracy,
 this will produce better government decision-making and give more
legitimacy to the rules and policies that are enacted.
 INDPENDENCE. The oversight system must operate independently and without bias. If oversight bodies
are to effectively carry out their oversight function and work to build trust in the system, they must be
properly regarded by both civilians and police officers as independent and impartial.
Recommendation 1: Create a Community Police Commission

What are the Commission’s powers?

 Make or participate in key leadership decisions
 The Mayor will continue to have the power to hire and fire the Police Superintendent, but
the Commission, rather than the Police Board, will develop a list of finalists from which the
Mayor must choose. The Mayor and Commission will each have the power to fire the
Police Superintendent.
 The Commission will have power to hire and fire the Chief Administrator of COPA.
 The Commission will have power to select and remove members of the Police Board.
 Establish goals and evaluate progress
 At the beginning of each year, the Commission will establish goals for the Superintendent
and the Police Department, the Chief Administrator and COPA, and the Police Board
President and the Police Board.
 At the end of each year, the Commission will evaluate the progress that was made toward
meeting the established goals.
 Set policy
 The Police Department and COPA will have primary responsibility for developing their own
policies, but all policies must be approved by the Commission.
 Community engagement and transparency
 The Commission will hold regular meetings and forums in different parts of the City, and
work closely with community residents and community groups to hear local concerns and
develop solutions.
 The Commission is authorized to require the Police Superintendent and other key officials to
provide data and reports, and to appear in public forums to address questions and concerns.
 The Commission may publish public reports on matters of community concern.

Recommendation 2: Create new District Councils to improve community policing

What is the District Council’s Role?

 Build connections between the police and the community
 Ensure a channel of communication for regular community input to the Commission

How will the Commission and District Councils be selected?

 Three District Council members will be elected in each police district and serve two-year terms
 Elections will be held at the same time and place as LSC elections
 Each District Council will select one member to serve on a Selection Committee to choose
members of the Community Police Commission
 The Selection Committee will choose seven Commission members using merit-based criteria
specified in the ordinance.
 Commissioners will serve four year terms
 Commissioners may be removed for cause by the City Council
 Commissioners will be paid $12,000 and the president of the Commission will be paid $15,000 per
year, just like members of the Chicago Police Board. District Council members will receive annual
stipends of $6,000.

For questions about GAPA and this proposal, contact Mecole Jordan at mjordan@unitedcongress.org