CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL MOVED A STEP CLOSER TODAY TO ORDERING POLICE BRASS TO STUDY WHETHER OFFICERS ARE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY DEPLOYED ACROSS THE CITY TO STOP CRIME AND RESPOND TO CALLS FOR HELP.

A FINAL VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL IS SET FOR FEBRUARY 16TH.

HERE'S ALDERMAN MATT MARTIN URGING HIS COLLEAGUES TO APPROVE THE PLAN TODAY.

>> WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS BY THE CONSENT DECREE.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR MANY YEARS IN FITS AND STARTS.

BELIEVE NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO STEP UP AND GET IT DONE.

>> WDW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST ON THE PUSH WHICH COMES A SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL PERIL FOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

GET INTO THAT.

BUT MARTIN SAYS THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS BY THE CONSENT DECREE.

SO WHY AN ORDINANCE?

WELL, THE ISSUE OF HOW OFFICERS ARE DEPLOYED ACROSS THE CITY HAS LONG BEEN THE 3RD RAIL OF PUBLIC SAFETY POLITICS IN CHICAGO.

>> NO ALDERPERSON WANTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING SOMETHING THAT WOULD SEE POLICE OFFICERS MOVED OUT OF THEIR WORD AND INTO ANOTHER.

EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT THE SOUTH AND THE WEST SIDE IS WHERE MOST OF THE VIOLENT CRIME IN CHICAGO HAPPENS AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE ARE MORE OFFICER STATION CARE RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS FOR HELP.

AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THERE'S A VIOLENT CRIME OR MURDER ON THE NORTH SIDE FOR DOWNTOWN THOSE CRIMES GET A DISPROPORTIONATE ATTENTION FROM POLITICIANS AND THE NEWS MEDIA, WHICH MEANS THAT THE MOVE TO MOVE OFFICERS OUT OF THOSE AREAS WOULD BE POLITICALLY PERILOUS FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED AND THAT DO WE KNOW MUCH THIS STUDY WILL COST AND WHO WILL DO THE WORK WE HEARD TODAY FROM ALDERMAN MARTIN, THAT IT'S GOING TO COST PROBABLY CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT THE CITY HAS COMMITMENTS FROM PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THE WORK AT NO COST TO TAXPAYERS, WHICH IS NO DOUBT.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL WHICH HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO COMPLY WITH THE CONSENT DECREE.

YET HE'S ONLY REACHED 6% FULL COMPLIANCE.

LONG WAY TO GO THERE.

NOT MUCH PROGRESS ESSENCE OF LIFE ADMINISTRATION.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST STUDY OF POLICE DEPLOYMENT.

SO WHAT HAPPENED IN 2016 2019?

WELL, IN BOTH CASES, THE TOP COPS AT THE TIME TOOK THOSE STUDIES AND SHELVE THEM KNOWING THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GOING TO CAUSE A POLITICAL FIRESTORM IN 2022.

FORMER TOP COP DAVID BROWN SAID THAT THE STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CRIME LAB WAS SOMEHOW LACKING.

SO WE'VE ONLY SEEN A SUMMARY OF THAT REPORT THAT THAT SUMMARY FOUND THAT POLICE OFFICER DEPLOYMENT DECISIONS WERE MADE IN A HIGHLY INEQUITABLE AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED WAY.

AND DO WE HAVE ASSURANCE THAT STUDY IS GOING TO?

HAVE AN IMPACT AND PERHAPS LEAD TO SOMETHING?

WELL, THE ORDINANCE SET FOR A FINAL VOTE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WOULD REQUIRE THE STUDY TO BE RELEASED PUBLICLY.

AND IT SETS OF THE SCHEDULED QUARTERLY MEETINGS THAT WILL GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL INSIGHT INTO HOW THE STUDY IS PROGRESSING AND HOPEFULLY CREATE POLITICAL PRESSURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC AND THE NEWS MEDIA SEES ITS RESULTS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE HEATHER.

SEAN, THANKS VERY MUCH.

THANKS, PARIS.

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