Proposal would change IPRA into COPA: 'Civilian Office on Police Accountability'

FOX 32 NEWS - This August, violence on Chicago streets reached levels not seen in two decades.

And amid the sobering crime numbers, there are details of a change coming to Chicago police as the mayor is revealing plans to overhaul the system that investigates officers.

IPRA may now become COPA, which stands for Civilian Office on Police Accountability.

On Monday, aldermen were shown a draft ordinance and the mayor is pushing for a vote on it next month.

The creation of COPA comes came less than a year after videos were released of the shooting death of unarmed Laquan McDonald, which led to calls for police reform.

Seeking trust and transparency, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s new COPA would give the police superintendent 90 days to respond to discipline recommendations, have deadlines on providing reports on investigations, and investigate the use of Tasers.

And all of this is in the midst of a historically violent year in the city.

Reverend Jesse Jackson is calling for a White House conference to meet and discuss the violence, releasing a statement Monday: "Chicago is in a state of undeclared war…But we cannot just throw up our hands and go about business as usual. We must not surrender or accept this as the norm."

City officials, including the superintendent of police, believe the power lies with the judicial system and harsher sentences.

“We as Chicagoans should be saying enough is enough because I’m sick of it and I’m sure that you are sick of it listening to it - but until we get some strength in those sentencing laws and give our judicial partners the tools to do it, we are continuing to have this conversation,” Supt. Eddie Johnson said.

Already this year, Chicago has had 487 homicides. That’s just three victims shy of last year's total for the whole year.