The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) welcomes U.S. District Judge Robert Dow’s approval of the consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department. Judge Dow’s order today follows a public comment period where LDF offered suggestions to improve the proposed agreement between the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. Monique Dixon, Deputy Director of Policy and Senior Counsel at LDF, provided the following statement:
“The Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) systemic violations of the law, along with its deep-seated culture of misconduct, undermine public safety and public trust. Although this agreement is not perfect, it is a tremendous step towards addressing the racially biased policing and excessive use of force issues that have plagued the CPD for decades. This consent decree will not be easy to implement, and its effectiveness hinges on the engagement and hard work of the people of Chicago. But with the continued dedication of city leadership and residents alike, meaningful reform will finally be on the horizon in Chicago.
“We’re heartened by the court’s recognition of the need for this agreement despite the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) turning its back on the city of Chicago and the constitutional violations it uncovered there. We encourage state and local governments throughout the country to follow Chicago’s lead by working towards real change, regardless of the vacuum of federal leadership on the issue. We also continue to urge the DOJ to prioritize the safety of the American people by upholding its responsibility to remedy widespread police misconduct.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
