Chicago Police Department Lawsuit & Consent Decree

In coalition with other grassroots organizations, CRS officially settled the Consent Decree lawsuit with the City of Chicago on May 17, 2019. With this settlement, CRS will have a significant future impact on crisis intervention and diversion practices of the Chicago Police Department. CRS now sits at two tables critical to the implementation of police accountability in Chicago: Mental Health Emergency Alternative Response Treatment Project and Crisis Intervention Advisory Committee. This is a victory!

We’ve made a major mark in history by creating the first federally enforced consent decree without the Department of Justice while ensuring that we have the power to directly file a motion with the court, should the police not maintain compliance with the decree.

On January 31, 2019, Federal Judge Robert Dow approved the final version of the consent decree established for reforming policing in the City of Chicago. At that time, the last step in making the decree active was the selection of the independent monitor, the entity charged with the actual implementation of the requirements set forth by the decree.

On March 4, the independent monitor was selected, signifying the official start of the implementation phase. Our work is cut out for us. Over the next five to eight years, CRS and our lawsuit partners will be tasked with ensuring that the independent monitor is effective in monitoring the Chicago Police Department during implementation.