Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today that he will establish a task force focusing on police accountability. The announcement comes following protests over the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times by police in October 2014.
“This task force is long overdue to bring much-needed reform in the city of Chicago,” said Steven W. Hawkins, executive director of Amnesty International USA. “We will bring our own findings and recommendations to this task force to ensure that Chicago police meet their obligations under international human rights standards that make it clear that lethal force should only be used as a last resort. “
Earlier this year, Amnesty International issued a report that found that all 50 states failed to meet international standards regarding the use of lethal force by police.
“The state of Illinois, and every other state in the country, must implement the proper police training, oversight and accountability regarding the use of lethal force. We cannot wait for the next tragic video. The time for meaningful action at both the state and federal level is long past.”