Commentary

Black Youth Project 100 Statement in Response to IPRA Recommendation to Fire Chicago Police Detective Servin


CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—September 17, 2015. On September 16, 2015, the Chicago Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) recommended that Dante Servin be fired from the Chicago Police Department (CPD); a recommendation that should have been made five months, if not three years ago. This recommendation marks only the second of its kind since the committee’s formation in 2007. Two is a number grossly disproportionate to the number of Chicagoans shot by police officers since that same year, which tops 230 as it stands.

This recommendation is only one step in the process of Servin’s termination. The entirety of the police department, which has the blood of so many Black people on their hands, now has 90 days to make a decision. CPD Superintendent, Garry McCarthy, who has been known to have said that Servin should have never been indicted, is now allowed to make a choice: to make a show of compassion towards Rekia’s family and Chicago’s residents by heeding the recommendation, or to give the Chicago community yet another example of his disregard for the Black residents of this city by allowing Servin to stay on the force.  

On August 20th, the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) shut down the monthly Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) Hearing at Chicago Police Department Headquarters because we believe that IPRA is an illegitimate board. Ultimately, whatever becomes of Dante Servin’s employment with CPD, no decision will bring Rekia back. A young, Black woman’s life was lost at the hands of a police officer. As Martinez Sutton, brother of Rekia Boyd, said, “This justice is ‘just ice’ to numb the situation.” The perpetrators of violence against Black women can never be providers of justice. We envision a type of justice that does not rely on mayor-appointed boards or even police. BYP100 will continue to agitate and pursue justice until Dante Servin is fired without a pension.

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Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) is an activist member-based organization of Black 18-35 year olds, dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. We do this through building a network focused on transformative leadership development, direct action organizing, advocacy and education using a Black queer feminist lens. We are an organization affiliated with the Black Youth Project.

Source: www.byp100.org

 


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