July City Council: recondite fight on police oversight

Journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky digested slices of July 2021 meetings of the Chicago City Council.

In the standard version of the episode, Dave played audio of aldermen trading wildly different takes on the proposed Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (also called the Empowering Communities for Public Safety, or ECPS ordinance), which the council passed 36-13.

In the premium version of the episode, Dave played audio of more aldermen zealously arguing for and against the elected public safety commission, which would oversee police department policy.

Also in the premium version, Dave played excerpts of council members considering—and trying to delay—a rule that would streamline approval of business's public way permits, while retaining aldermanic prerogative.

Finally in the premium version, Dave played an illuminating exchange between a city lawyer and aldermen over a lawsuit payout in the case of a shooting by police. The exchange took place during a July meeting of the council's finance committee.

Length 9.6 minutes standard, 48.9 minutes premium.

Music: "Mambo Jambo" by Latin-American Rhythms Pancho

Standard audio:

Premium audio:

Available only to subscribers. Subscribe here for unlimited access. Subscribers: log in.