Class-action lawsuit targets CPD's stop and frisk policy
CHICAGO - A class-action lawsuit involving more than 2 million people is moving forward in Chicago against the use of CPD's stop and frisk policy.
The suit claims the policy unfairly targets Black and Hispanic residents. The City of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department were named in the lawsuit. It claims millions of people in Chicago were stopped on foot without cause by Chicago police between 2010 and 2017.
The lawsuit, which was certified by a judge late last month, claims the city’s stop and frisk policy violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures.
In 2015, Chicago police agreed to stop and frisk reforms, avoiding a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2019, The Chicago Reporter found the number of stops had declined by 80%, but the vast majority still involved Black and Hispanic residents.
"They have acknowledged the problem by signing the ACLU agreement, but that is non-binding and clearly it has not been enough. This class-action suit if successful, and we believe it will be, will bring court ordered change with oversight by a judge," said attorney Antonio Romanucci.
The Chicago Police Department said they cannot comment on pending litigation.