As a result of a 2017 lawsuit by the Illinois Attorney General, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) has been under a consent decree since 2019. 

What is a Consent Decree?

A consent decree is a legally binding agreement to resolve a legal dispute between two parties. Specifically, consent decrees are detailed documents with specific requirements for action and deadlines. They are approved by a judge who then appoints an independent monitor to ensure that the parties keep on track.

The CPD Consent Decree requires the Chicago Police Department and the City of Chicago to reform police training, policies, and practices. The decree specifically mentions use of force, community policing, impartial policing, training, accountability, officer wellness, and data and information systems. 

The full details of the CPD Consent Decree can be found using the links below.

Who Monitors the Consent Decree?

The progress of the Consent Decree is officially under the control of the presiding Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., but the bulk of the work is done by the independent monitor Ms. Maggie Hickey. Hickey, an attorney and partner at Schiff Hardin, leads a team that accesses CPD's compliance with the decree and reports their findings to Judge Dow.

You can find out more about the Independent Monitoring Team in the links below.