Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA)

I found out about the IPRA when I attended one of the Chicago Budget Hearings. When I go to my local Caps meeting for my beat, I often hear a lot of complaints from people about the service they receive from Chicago Police Officers. We are often told at the beat meetings that if we are not satisfied with the service we receive from an officer that we should call back and ask to speak to a supervisor or request for a supervisor to come out to resolve the issue. My wife and I have experienced bad police service and we have call back 911 to ask to speak to a supervisor and we have requested that a supervisor come out to resolve our issue we had. Sometime we get a good supervisor and then sometime we don’t. I think the one time we got a good supervisor, we called the district commander and they sent the supervisor out to see us. Nowadays, it is not as easy to call and talk with the district commander, which lead me to seek out other ways to voice my dissatisfaction with the service I might receive from the Chicago Police. The one thing that I have learned is that if you do not complain to the right people, you will continue to get bad service. If the people that give bad service know that you will complain and that they will be held accountable for their actions, they will change the way they interact with you and will be more professional with you. So, if you experience poor police service and you have called back for a supervisor and you are still unsatisfied, then I would suggest you contact the IPRA. The IPRA takes all complaints, but they only handle or investigate allegations of the use of excessive force, police shootings where an officer discharges their weapon and strikes someone, deaths while in custody of the police, domestic violence, verbal abuse including bias and coercion. All other complaints once registered with the IPRA are forward to the Internal Affairs Division (IAD). Complaints not handled by IPRA would be allegations of drug use, theft, and procedural violations.

Once a complaint is received, it is given a complaint log number. If the complaint is within IPRA jurisdiction, they will retain it and conduct an investigation. All other complaints will be forwarded to the CPD Internal Affairs Division for resolution. Either way you should expect IPRA to send a letter to you acknowledging the complaint within 5 to 7 working days.

If you need to file a complaint against a CPD officer, you have 5 ways to do it:

1. Call IPRA at 312-745-3594 from 7am to 10:30pm, 7 days a week. Voicemail available 24 hours a day.

2. Visit the IPRA office located on the 12<sup>th floor of the IIT tower (10 west 35th street) between 8am and 10pm,

3. Write a letter to IPRA:
    IPRA
    10 West 35th Street, 12th Floor
    Chicago, IL 60616</sup>

4. Visit the IPRA’s website: www.IPRAChicago.org

^{5. Visit any Chicago Police Department district station and register a complaint with the desk sergeant. Complaints received at the district stations "are supposed" to be immediately forward to IPRA.}

Also, if you would like to compliment an officer you have 4 ways to do it:
1. Visit the IPRA’s website: <sup>www.IPRAChicago.org

2. Call IPRA at 312-745-3594

3. Write a letter to IPRA at:
IPRA
10 West 35th Street, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60616

4. Write a letter to CPD at:
The Office of Superintendent
Chicago Police Department
3510 S. Michigan ave.
Chicago, IL 60653</sup>