(Chicago, January 17, 2019) — Chicago Urban League Interim President and CEO Barbara Lumpkin released the following statement regarding the acquittal of three Chicago police officers accused of a cover-up in the LaQuan McDonald shooting.
“Accountability for police conduct is not just the responsibility of any one officer. It must be rooted into our systems and processes to be truly transformative for our city. This trial presented an opportunity to impose some accountability for police officers who maintain the code of silence that has enabled inequitable policing in Chicago. It is disappointing and disheartening to know that, even with an apparent conflict between officer statements and video proof, that opportunity was missed with this verdict. The Chicago Urban League will continue to support efforts at real police reform and equitable and fair treatment of African Americans and other underserved communities.”
