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In January 2017, days before the sun set on the Obama presidency, the Justice Department published a scathing report on what it called “systemic deficiencies” in the Chicago Police Department and urged the city to enter into a consent decree to work toward its recommended reforms. The DOJ’s yearlong investigation, sparked by public outcry over the Laquan McDonald police shooting video, was the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis to date of bias, excessive force and lack of accountability within CPD.

But under the Trump administration, the Justice Department has backed off of its January commitment to negotiate a court-enforceable consent decree. Mayor Rahm Emanuel wavered on the need for a consent decree, which would include a concrete timeline and a court-appointed independent monitor to measure progress, before finally being forced to come to the table by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in late August.

Even with a commitment from the mayor to work toward a consent decree, the negotiations could take months, and the appointment of an independent monitor is likely even farther off. In the meantime, The Chicago Reporter is acting as a public monitor, using the city’s public statements, our own reporting and that of other news organizations. Check back here regularly for updates on the city’s progress toward enacting the DOJ’s 99 recommendations for police reform.