Report: Small Group of Chicago Cops Cost $34M in Settlements

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Report: Small Group of Chicago Cops Cost $34M in Settlements

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — Jan 31, 2016, 4:26 PM ET

A group of 124 Chicago police officers has cost the city $34 million in misconduct settlements since 2009, according to a newspaper report.

While the officers represent a fraction of the police force's roughly 12,000 officers, they are identified in nearly a third of the misconduct lawsuits settled since 2009. The Chicago Tribune ( http://trib.in/23zYtBt ) reported one officer had seven lawsuits against him that were settled.

Unlike high-profile police brutality cases that have triggered federal investigations, most of the settlements involve less serious claims such as injuring arrestees during traffic stops, making false arrests and using racial slurs. The lawsuits have largely escaped City Council scrutiny because the settlements have been at or under $100,000. If they're larger, aldermen must approve them.

Also, the Tribune found many of the incidents didn't occur in high crime areas as union officials have argued and officers were rarely disciplined.

A Chicago police spokesman acknowledged it's been a decades-old problem.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/report-small-group-chicago-cops-cost-34m-settlements-36630392

[Peregrine Took]

1. They can be intimidating but when you need them they are quite effective.

We had a break in and the guy was still in our apt when we called 911. About 3 minutes later we had about a dozen officers up there and they got him the hell out.