Northwest Side alderman files complaint against cops alleging racially charged language in housing controversy
John Arena
Northwest Side Ald.  John Arena  filed a complaint with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability alleging Chicago police officers may have violated the department’s code of conduct by making racially charged online comments about a controversial Jefferson Park apartment development plan that includes affordable housing.
 Arena  made the complaint in mid-January  amid a long-running fight over the project in which supporters have claimed opponents are trying to keep minorities from moving into the bungalow belt neighborhood.
The 45th Ward alderman said his office had presented the City Hall inspector general’s office with numerous examples of people identifying themselves as police officers in their online profiles or appearing in profile photos in police uniforms while using “racially charged language” to oppose the building on social media. The inspector general’s office told  Arena  to take the complaints to COPA because it potentially involved police officers.
 Arena  said he didn’t do any kind of investigation of whether the 31 are  in fact  police officers  saying “that will be up to COPA.”  Arena ’s office declined to provide examples of the comments it forwarded to COPA  citing the ongoing investigation.
On Friday  the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police posted a letter on its website from attorney Timothy Grace to  Arena   saying if the alderman doesn’t withdraw the complaint  the union would sue him on behalf of any police officers who turn up among the comments he submitted.
The letter says officers spoke out in opposition to the project while off duty and that there are congestion issues and other “race neutral” concerns. The letter states that  Arena ’s “decision to threaten their job security and their reputations for expressing their opinions appears retaliatory and motivated as a means to stifle their opposition.”
 Arena  declined to comment on the police union letter. After he filed the complaint   Arena  said that he wanted the police oversight agency to determine whether the comments breached department rules.
Northwest Side Ald.  [TGT]filed a complaint with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability alleging Chicago police officers may have violated the department’s code of conduct by making racially charged online comments about a controversial Jefferson Park apartment development plan that includes affordable housing.
 [TGT]made the complaint in mid-January  amid a long-running fight over the project in which supporters have claimed opponents are trying to keep minorities from moving into the bungalow belt neighborhood.
The 45th Ward alderman said his office had presented the City Hall inspector general’s office with numerous examples of people identifying themselves as police officers in their online profiles or appearing in profile photos in police uniforms while using “racially charged language” to oppose the building on social media. The inspector general’s office told  [TGT]to take the complaints to COPA because it potentially involved police officers.
 [TGT]said [TGT] didn’t do any kind of investigation of whether the 31 are  in fact  police officers  saying “that will be up to COPA.”  [TGT] declined to provide examples of the comments [TGT] forwarded to COPA  citing the ongoing investigation.
On Friday  the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police posted a letter on its website from attorney Timothy Grace to  [TGT]saying if the alderman doesn’t withdraw the complaint  the union would sue him on behalf of any police officers who turn up among the comments he submitted.
The letter says officers spoke out in opposition to the project while off duty and that there are congestion issues and other “race neutral” concerns. The letter states that  Arena ’s “decision to threaten their job security and their reputations for expressing their opinions appears retaliatory and motivated as a means to stifle their opposition.”
 [TGT]  declined to comment on the police union letter. After he filed the complaint   [TGT]said that he wanted the police oversight agency to determine whether the comments breached department rules.