Stories by Heather Cherone

The agency that provides more than 65,000 low-income households with public housing, rental vouchers and homeownership programs remains mired in uncertainty and at odds with Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Officer Michael Donnelly’s actions “brought significant negative attention and discredit upon the department” and “exposed CPD to civil liability,” COPA concluded.

“This step allows us to continue pursuing the case in a manner that fully protects the rights of Adam Toledo’s family,” said Adeena Weiss Ortiz, the lead lawyer for Elizabeth and Marco Toledo, the teen’s parents. “Let me be clear: This case is not over.”

Chicago has earned “every bit” of its reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities, with much more work to be done, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.

Chicago restaurants must phase out the tipped minimum wage by July 1, 2028, while giving servers and other workers who earn gratuities 8% raises annually every July 1.

The city’s 2026 budget set aside just $82.5 million for police misconduct settlements, and authorized officials to borrow an additional $283.3 million to cover the soaring cost of lawsuits alleging wrongdoing by police officers, records show.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg did not conclude in the report released Wednesday that the CPD members deliberately covered up the fatal crash. Instead, Witzburg found that their actions prevented her office from “conducting a full and complete investigation."

The monitors praised CPD for making “significant progress” between July 1 and Dec. 31 in effort to comply with the consent decree, which has been in effect for seven years.

The vote came after officials with Bally’s Corp. issued the most direct warning to the City Council that its move to green-light video gaming would kneecap the city’s permanent casino, scheduled to open in River West later this year.

The City Council’s Workforce Development Committee advanced the measure after a lengthy debate over whether all city employees, not just CPD members, should be banned from “actively participating” in extremist and anti-government groups.

CPD’s 2026 budget is $2.1 billion, including $200 million for overtime, records show.

The proposal, authored by Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward), would give the Civilian Office of Police Accountability the authority to probe officers accused of “actively participating” in extremist and anti-government groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

“The robustness and integrity of CPD’s disciplinary system is absolutely vital,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said. “If we are to take seriously the task of fostering trust in CPD, the city must build and run a police disciplinary system in which both members of the public and members of the department have reason to be confident.”

Since the start of the year, Chicago taxpayers have paid nearly $30 million to resolve four wrongful conviction lawsuits.

Mayor Brandon Johnson nominated Anjanette Young, a social worker who was handcuffed while naked during a botched 2019 Chicago Police Department raid, on Thursday to serve on the city’s police oversight board.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new top public safety adviser will be Emmanuel Andre, the deputy of policy for the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, the mayor’s spokesperson announced.

The trial got off to a slow start just days after the fifth anniversary of Adam’s death, which spurred outrage-fueled demonstrations and renewed calls for police reform.

The proposed law would ban no-knock warrants in all but “exigent circumstances” where the safety of officers or others was threatened, according to the bill.

Officer Richard Rodriguez Jr., who was a member of the Near North (18th) Police District tactical team until he was stripped of his police powers in February, has been suspended for at least 83 days in connection with eight incidents of misconduct, records show.

Chicago’s police oversight board pressed Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling on Thursday about why Chicago police officers did not do more to stop federal agents from carrying out aggressive immigration raids across the city.

“CHA residents deserve leadership decisions that are transparent, lawful and grounded in their lived experiences, not a process that prioritizes expediency over accountability,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

The trial is set to start April 6, just days after the fifth anniversary of Adam’s death, which spurred demonstrations and renewed calls for police reform.

Taxing agencies — including schools, parks, libraries and cities — sent property tax bills totaling $19.2 billion in 2024, up more than 180% from the $6.8 billion taxing districts required property owners to pay in 1995, according to the report.

Chicago taxpayers paid the monitors $4.7 million in 2025, records show.

It will take 34 votes for the Chicago City Council to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto, the third he has issued in less than a year. That effort is expected to take place on April 15.

“This name derives from our city’s legacy of standing up for justice, dignity, and the rights of all people, no matter where they come from,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “I want to take this moment to reiterate that Chicago does not want ICE on our streets, in our airports, nor in our city. Chicago believes in abolishing ICE.”