CPD Ethics & Accountability 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The CPD Consent Decree entered in 2019 was the result of an agreement between CPD and which entity following a finding of systemic constitutional violations?
- The U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Illinois
- The Illinois Attorney General and the City of Chicago (Correct answer)
- The American Civil Liberties Union and the Chicago Police Board
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cook County
Correct answer: The Illinois Attorney General and the City of Chicago
The 2019 Consent Decree resulted from a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan after a DOJ investigation found systemic CPD misconduct.
Question 2: Under CPD's Early Intervention System (EIS), what triggers a supervisory review of an officer's conduct patterns?
- Only when a formal citizen complaint is sustained
- When an officer reaches defined thresholds of complaints, use-of-force incidents, or other indicators (Correct answer)
- After an officer has served five or more years without promotion
- When an officer's sick leave usage exceeds departmental averages
Correct answer: When an officer reaches defined thresholds of complaints, use-of-force incidents, or other indicators
EIS monitors officer behavior indicators and flags patterns that may predict future misconduct before formal complaints are filed.
Question 3: A CPD officer working an off-duty security job (PPO) observes a fight. When they respond as a security officer, they become involved in a use of force. This incident should be reported:
- Only to the private employer since the officer was off-duty
- To CPD as a use-of-force incident regardless of the officer's off-duty status (Correct answer)
- To the district where the incident occurred but not CPD command
- Only if a civilian files a complaint about the use of force
Correct answer: To CPD as a use-of-force incident regardless of the officer's off-duty status
CPD officers are bound by department use-of-force rules and reporting requirements whenever they exercise police authority, including during PPO employment.
Question 4: Which standard governs how CPD officers must treat information obtained during an investigation when interacting with the media?
- Officers may share factual case information at their own discretion
- Officers must follow department media relations policies and refer inquiries to authorized spokespersons (Correct answer)
- All information becomes public record once an arrest is made
- Officers can discuss cases freely if they are not listed as the case investigator
Correct answer: Officers must follow department media relations policies and refer inquiries to authorized spokespersons
CPD General Orders require officers to direct media inquiries to authorized department spokespersons and prohibit unauthorized disclosure of investigative information.
Question 5: An officer is instructed by a supervisor to write a report in a way that omits a key fact that would weaken the department's case. The officer should:
- Follow the supervisor's instruction since supervisors bear legal responsibility for reports
- Refuse to omit the fact and accurately document all relevant information in the report (Correct answer)
- Include the fact but minimize it by burying it at the end of the report
- Report the instruction to the union but comply in the meantime
Correct answer: Refuse to omit the fact and accurately document all relevant information in the report
Officers are individually responsible for the accuracy of their reports; following an unlawful order to falsify records is not a valid defense.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of CPD's body-worn camera (BWC) policy requiring officers to activate cameras during citizen contacts?
- To create a permanent archive of all police interactions for training purposes
- To promote transparency, protect civil rights, and provide objective evidence of police-citizen encounters (Correct answer)
- To monitor officer productivity and ensure they are meeting arrest quotas
- To provide real-time supervision capability to district commanders
Correct answer: To promote transparency, protect civil rights, and provide objective evidence of police-citizen encounters
BWC policy is rooted in accountability—cameras provide objective records that protect both civilians and officers and deter misconduct.
Question 7: Under procedural justice principles adopted by CPD, 'voice' refers to:
- An officer's right to remain silent during an IAD investigation
- Giving community members the opportunity to explain their perspective during police interactions (Correct answer)
- The department's public communication strategy for press releases
- An officer's ability to appeal disciplinary decisions
Correct answer: Giving community members the opportunity to explain their perspective during police interactions
Procedural justice 'voice' means allowing people to tell their side of the story during encounters, which increases perceived fairness even if the outcome is unfavorable.
CPD Ethics & Accountability 4
The CPD Consent Decree entered in 2019 was the result of an agreement between CPD and which entity following a finding of systemic constitutional violations?