ACLU lawsuit claims CPD’s excessive force is worse for those with disabilities

By Brian Seay

The ACLU of Illinois filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Chicago Police Department, alleging the city has failed to properly train officers to interact with people who have mental illnesses or disabilities.
In a 53-page complaint, the ACLU, and a handful of other organizations named as plaintiffs, cited a damning Justice Department report released earlier this year in the waning days of the Obama administration as evidence for their claim.
“The DOJ’s 2017 report found that the CPD does not have the training or vision to ensure safe encounters with people with disabilities,” said Karen Sheley, director of police practices at the ACLU of Illinois.
The DOJ’s 13 month investigation found that CPD engages in a “pattern or practice of using excessive force, including deadly force.” In its suit, the ACLU says the “brutality is…magnified for people with disabilities, who disproportionately interact with and are more likely to experience violence by the CPD.”
An estimated one-third to one-half of people killed by police in America have a disability, according to the suit, and approximately a quarter of people killed have a mental illness.
“The City of Chicago deploys CPD officers armed with guns and Tasers but not deployed with critical de-escalation skills, and in doing

Source: Guns.com