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Justice Department to investigate Chicago police



The Justice Department is planning to open a so-called "pattern or practice" investigation into possible civil rights violations by the Chicago police department, according to a law enforcement official.

The announcement could come this week, a person familiar with the situation said.

The DOJ's expected move comes after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton urged such a probe. And after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who initially said such a probe was unnecessary, reversed himself and called for it.

“We will let the Department of Justice address what action they will or will not choose to take, but as was made clear last week, we welcome the engagement of the Department of Justice as we work to restore trust in our police department and improve our system of police accountability,” City Hall spokesman Adam Collins said in a written statement.

Last week, in an interview with POLITICO, Emanuel called such a probe "misguided," saying it added an unnecessary layer on top of an ongoing federal criminal probe into the Laquan McDonald shooting. Emanuel reversed himself the following day, releasing a statement saying he welcomed the inquiry. (Last week, Emanuel also fired Garry McCarthy, the police chief.)

On Sunday night, hours after reports of the DOJ probe, Emanuel announced the ouster of the head of the agency that investigates police-involved shootings.

The mayor’s office said Independent Police Review Authority Chief Administrator Scott Ando resigned “effective immediately.” Emanuel appointed former federal prosecutor Sharon Fairley to the position.

Emanuel’s move comes as he scrambles to contain a growing firestorm directed at his office. A series of protests continued to roil Chicago over the weekend and calls for the mayor’s resignation persist.

The mayor has been under siege since the release late last month of an Oct. 20, 2014, video showing a Chicago police officer shooting McDonald 16 times as the officer walks away from the cop. The officer, Jason Van Dyke, was charged with first-degree murder just before a court ordered release of the footage.

“As an independent arbiter of allegations of police misconduct, excessive force complaints and officer-involved shootings, IPRA is a vitally important part of Chicago’s system of police accountability. Sharon brings the experience and independence to ensure that when an officer breaks the rules, they will be held accountable,” Emanuel said in a statement. “In his four years at IPRA, Scott has taken important steps to move IPRA forward and reduce its backlog of cases. Yet it has become clear that new leadership is required as we rededicate ourselves to dramatically improving our system of police accountability and rebuilding trust in that process.”

Questions surrounding the agency have percolated for months. A onetime investigator told WBEZ Chicago he was fired for ruling against police officers.

And a Chicago Tribune analysis of complaints against police officers found the agency sustained only 4 percent of them.

Still, Emanuel’s office held up the latest move as one in a “series of steps” the mayor has taken in the last two weeks in response to the tape, including expanding the police body camera program, firing McCarthy and launching a task force.

