{"id":5061461,"date":"2023-01-11T06:13:36","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T06:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illatinonews.com\/?p=5061461"},"modified":"2023-01-11T06:13:36","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T06:13:36","slug":"chicago-voters-will-choose-newly-created-district-council-members-in-february","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/2023\/01\/11\/chicago-voters-will-choose-newly-created-district-council-members-in-february\/","title":{"rendered":"Voters will choose District Council to improve public safety and police accountability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IL Latino News produces stories focused on the responses to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/socialdeterminants\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social determinants of health<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/nhlatinonews.com\/5058656-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">democracy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>120 candidates filed petitions\u00a0for Chicago\u2019s newly-created District Council positions on Nov. 28, a few months ahead of the February 2023 municipal elections. City voters will be able to elect three members in their police district for the first time, along with the\u00a0next mayor, city clerk, city treasurer, and\u00a0alderpeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These positions form part of a new system for police oversight, accountability, and public safety in the city. Called Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS), this coalition encourages community engagement and input to hold police accountable and create safe neighborhoods.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ECPS now oversees the Chicago&nbsp;Police Department (CPD), the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the Police Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe believe that it\u2019s necessary for the community to have not just a voice, but a decisive voice in what happens in their communities around policing and public safety,\u201d said Dod McColgan, Co-Chair of Chicago Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARP).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ECPS ordinance passed through City Council in July of 2021. It was created by the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA) and Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) with support from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/jcua.org\/ecpsnow\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">thousands of city residents and several churches, labor unions, and community and faith-based organizations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/jcua.org\/ecpsnow\/the-ordinance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ordinance plan<\/a>, District Council positions were created in each of the city\u2019s 22 police districts. Voters will be able to elect three members in their district in the upcoming local election, a total of 66 positions citywide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">District Council members will have several key roles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf&nbsp;Serve as the eyes and ears of the community<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf&nbsp;Hold monthly public meetings<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf&nbsp;Collaborate in the development and implementation of new safety initiatives<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf&nbsp;Get input on police department policies and practices<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf&nbsp;Ensure that the city-wide Commission gets input from the community<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25cf\u00a0Nominate members of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cNo, you can\u2019t do that\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chicago voters will choose newly-created District Council members\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/He6wR-od8XI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Report by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephaniarodrii\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stephania Rodriguez<\/a>, Depaul University<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">William Guerrero is a 21-year-old native of the Southwest Pilsen neighborhood and is running for District Council in the 12th District. He is the youngest candidate running for the position and is motivated by the needs of people in his community as well as setting an example for young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 12th Police District includes east parts of Pilsen,&nbsp;parts of the West Loop, Near West Side and Wicker Park. Between 2019 to 2021, the district saw a substantial increase in carjackings and murders, according to<a href=\"https:\/\/blockclubchicago.org\/2022\/02\/15\/facing-spike-in-murders-pilsen-and-little-village-leaders-call-for-more-support-for-violence-prevention-and-intervention-programs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;Block Club Chicago<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA lot of events have happened to the point where I see youth getting killed by the police,\u201d Guerrero said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018No, you can\u2019t do that\u2019. You signed an oath to protect and serve the community and by killing the kids \u2026 it\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ECPS also created a city-wide, seven-member Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) that will decide CPD policy, establish public safety goals, and play a central role in selecting police leadership. Members on this commission are nominated by District Council members and the mayor, and are confirmed by City Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CPD, historically known for police misconduct and abuse, was placed under a federal&nbsp;consent decree&nbsp;in 2019,&nbsp;following a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014.&nbsp;This&nbsp;court-mandated&nbsp;settlement was initially set for five years but was extended out to eight years in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The early years of the consent decree were beset by missed deadlines and lagging compliance, according to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.wttw.com\/2022\/03\/25\/chicago-police-extending-consent-decree-timeline-3-additional-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WTTW.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cLong overdue\u201d and a \u201cstep in the right direction\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McColgan said ECPS is the \u201cmost democratic&nbsp;police accountability structure that exists anywhere in the country.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are other attempts at civilian oversight in other cities\u2013 what makes ours unique is specifically cops being barred from participation,\u201d McColgan said. \u201cFrequently, when cities attempt to implement some form of civilian oversight, they want to bring police together at the table with residents and that is a table that is going to be by its nature tilted toward the police.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who supported the passing of the ECPS ordinance, said the new system is \u201clong overdue\u201d and a \u201cstep in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis was something that Mayor Lightfoot campaigned on when she ran for office\u2013 civilian oversight of the police,\u201d Sigcho-Lopez said. \u201cIn fact, Mayor Lightfoot promised to do this within the first 100 days in office. I mean, we\u2019re barely implementing this towards the end [of her term].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the upcoming municipal elections, Sigcho-Lopez stresses the need to not only support progressive police accountability structures but also to demand that candidates running for mayor support police reform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen people are campaigning as a progressive, I think that we have to ask people for a plan: what is the plan when it comes to working with ECPS? Working to hold CPD accountable and actually changing the practices of the department?,\u201d he said. \u201cNot to come and, unfortunately, as we saw in the last three years, to say one thing in public but do a separate, completely different thing when they\u2019re governing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ECPS faced many struggles and opposition from city officials in informing the public about its existence before the ordinance passed last year,&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fightbacknews.org\/2021\/6\/25\/chicago-reactionaries-attempt-block-community-control-police-measures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">including obstruction from certain alderpeople<\/a>to get the ordinance passed.&nbsp;Now, McColgan says the city is \u201cdragging its feet\u201d on informing the public on the District Council positions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re spreading the word as much as we can about their existence,\u201d McColgan said. \u201cBut any help that people can provide in spreading that word and letting people know, \u2018when you go to vote in February, you\u2019ll have a district council member on your ballot, and that\u2019s the person that\u2019s supposed to represent you and your community on issues of police accountability and public safety\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[These are] really important issues that are relevant to all of us. So, pay attention to that, pay attention to who your district council members are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"821\" height=\"462\" src=\"http:\/\/illatinonews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/B23A5FFA-598B-4056-8E6B-23FB8936010E.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5060453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/11\/B23A5FFA-598B-4056-8E6B-23FB8936010E.jpg 821w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/11\/B23A5FFA-598B-4056-8E6B-23FB8936010E-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/11\/B23A5FFA-598B-4056-8E6B-23FB8936010E-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stephania Rodriguez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephaniarodrii\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stephania Rodriguez<\/a>\u00a0is a Depaul University student majoring in Journalism and minoring in Latinx Media and Communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephania was one of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ctlatinonews.com\/journalism-camp-meet-the-fellows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">six fellows<\/a>\u00a0in the inaugural <a href=\"https:\/\/ctlatinonews.com\/journalism-camp-covering-race-ethnicity-and-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Journalism Camp: Covering Race, Ethnicity, and Culture<\/a>\u00a0sponsored by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/hortencia-zavala-scholarship\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hortencia Zavala Foundation (HZF)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The annual first-in-class free 12-week program led by the Owner\/Publisher of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/latino-news-network\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Latino News Network<\/a>\u00a0and twice president of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nahj.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/hugobalta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hugo Balta<\/a>\u00a0provides practical guidelines for fair and accurate storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IL Latino News partners with DePaul University and many schools of higher education in providing students mentoring and real work experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IL Latino News produces stories focused on the responses to the\u00a0social determinants of health and democracy. 120 candidates filed petitions\u00a0for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5061464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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