Overview

• A three-judge Illinois Appellate Court panel ruled on August 8 that the most serious Chicago police misconduct hearings must remain open to the public.
• The court also upheld officers’ right to remain on the payroll while their disciplinary cases progress through arbitration.
• The Fraternal Order of Police announced it will appeal the ruling to the Illinois Supreme Court.
• Since March 2024, 19 of 23 officers facing serious misconduct charges have opted for arbitration instead of the Chicago Police Board, triggering a mounting backlog.
• The decision draws on six decades of public hearing practice reinforced by federal oversight requirements for police accountability.