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Chicago police’s misconduct files policy praised

By WTOP Staff

DON BABWIN
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — A new policy will make public all completed investigations of Chicago police misconduct instead of treating them as personnel matters, a move that a law school professor involved in the litigation that led to the change says will bring transparency to a department that has long been dogged by a reputation for brutality and a code of silence.

The decision, which was announced Sunday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office, ends a legal fight over the city’s long-standing policy of exempting police misconduct incidents from Freedom of Information Act laws. Rather than appeal an appellate court’s ruling that the city could not keep the records secret, the city said it would comply with such requests.

University of Chicago law professor Craig Futterman also said Monday that by forcing the Chicago Police Department to hand over to those who file FOIA requests information on specific cases as well as the names of officers who have been repeatedly accused of misconduct, the department will be forced to investigate patterns of abuse.

“Because the department has refused to investigate those patterns, it leaves the cops (responsible) thinking they’re above the law,” he said. “This is going to be a strong incentive to say,’ We’ve got to investigate.'”

The policy change represents an attempt to regain public trust for a police department that has never completely shaken its reputation for brutality and misconduct since even before the vivid footage of officers beating protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Since then, other scandals have hit the department, including one that led to the imprisonment of former police commander Jon Burge, who was convicted of perjury and is accused of overseeing the torture of dozens of men to coerce confessions. The CPD’s reputation also was hurt by widely viewed surveillance video of off-duty officer Anthony Abbate beating a bartender in 2007 after she refused to serve him any more alcohol. Abbate, no longer with the department, was convicted in the case.

Emanuel’s office said Sunday that the policy will help the city build trust between residents and the police force, while Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said it will demonstrate that the department takes seriously allegations of police misconduct.

Releasing the information in response to FOIA requests will likely trigger many requests for details on Burge and Abbate. Futterman said the public will be able to see recommendations made after internal investigations and not simply the final decision, which is significant in cases like Abbate’s, in which there were widespread suspicions about the department’s investigation.

The city also must release the names of officers who were at the scenes where alleged abuse occurred.

“That gets to the code of silence (because) you can see one guy who is consistently involved in brutality and he has a partner who was consistently there saying, ‘I didn’t see anything,'” said Flint Taylor, an attorney who has handled several wrongful conviction cases and whose office worked on the agreement.

The information could be especially valuable to prison inmates who contend they were convicted as a result of a false of coerced confession, he said.

“Before now if you were sitting in prison and … wanted the background of officers involved in case you would have major problem doing that because the city would resist it and you wouldn’t have resources to fight it,” said Taylor.

The policy could also prove a powerful incentive for prosecutors to investigate whether detectives have been accused of misconduct before, which Taylor said could “have a dramatic impact on wrongful convictions.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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