The suggestions made by the Community Working Group regarding the Chicago #Police Department’s policies on using force are a huge step towards greater public participation in Police reforms. The fact that the Chicago Police Department was willing to meet with the Community Working Group to discuss their policies has made them much more transparent and accountable. 

Perhaps the greatest positive achievement to come out of the whole exercise is an increase in community participation in policy making. The working group, which started with 20 diverse community members, was increased to 34 and may continue to increase in membership in the future. As participation increases, the community will be represented in an even greater capacity, making the Police Department more well-rounded. 

The working group made a lot of recommendations, but only a few of them were accepted by the police. There are good reasons for this, though, as the Chicago PD explained in a press release. The suggestions were not just ignored, and it should also be noted that this is only the first step. The police department and the working group are new to this, and we should expect a gradual increase in recommendations that are accepted as long as the process continues. 

The working group did succeed in getting a few important recommendations accepted. The changes include expanding the definition of "sanctity of life" to underscore the importance of treating all members of society with dignity. Another change ensures that the department will refer to residents as "persons" and not "subjects." These changes may not seem too important at first glance, but all language has meaning, and this constitutes an improvement in policy. Now, police reports and other forms addressing citizens will humanize people rather than treating them with suspicion. It will help police remember that they are dealing with other human beings who deserve dignity and respect. 

Some have referred to the process as "a political sham," disregarding the fact that this process is the first attempt of its kind. A large portion of the community was actively involved for hundreds of hours. In the end they succeeded in enacting a degree of change, which is nothing to shake a stick at. Working group co-chair Arewa Karen Winters put it this way, "The work is there. It’s not like the work is just going to disappear, so no, I don’t feel it was a waste of time." 

This is a great indication of the CPD’s openness to community interaction and accountability. The CPD said it accepted five of the proposed changes and would publish a complete list of working group recommendations and the department’s response to each. It’s a great step towards transparency and public accountability. 

This has to be viewed as a landmark. All parties involved need to acknowledge that police reform in cooperation with the community is going to be a slow process, but it is definite progress towards building a stronger, more humane police department that genuinely cares for the people it intends to protect.