- A new analysis reveals Chicago taxpayers spent over $100 million in 2024 to settle police misconduct lawsuits. The main causes of the lawsuits include racial discrimination, excessive force and wrongful arrests.
- Chicago’s 2024 budget allocated $82 million to cover the cost of misconduct lawsuits.
- The department expects to resolve the issues by 2027. However, current compliance is just 9%.
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A new report highlights the growing cost of misconduct lawsuits against the Chicago Police Department, revealing that taxpayers are footing the bill for officers’ actions. PBS affiliate WTTW News reports that settlements to resolve lawsuits against Chicago police reached a record $107.5 million in 2024, marking the highest amount since 2011.
Police misconduct lawsuits
Each year, the City Council allocates funds in the annual budget to cover police misconduct lawsuits. For 2024, the city had budgeted $82 million to address these costs.
Data released by the city’s Department of Law shows the main causes of lawsuits against police include racial discrimination, excessive force –– both minor and serious –– illegal searches, and false arrests. Among the 122 misconduct lawsuits settled, wrongful convictions have proven the most costly for taxpayers.
High cost settlements
The city’s most recent high-profile settlement involved $45 million to settle the wrongful conviction of Eddie Bolden, who spent 22 years in prison for murders he did not commit.
Additionally, the city settled with a 15-year-old who was permanently injured after an unauthorized police pursuit of the car he was in.
Ongoing complaints and reform efforts
The department has maintained a dashboard of complaints filed since 2019. Internal Affairs reports more than 113,000 complaints against officers, with nearly 2,500 still pending closure.
A 2019 federal court order mandated reform across the department, creating a consent decree aimed at addressing civil rights violations committed by officers, particularly when interacting with Black and Latino individuals.
By 2027, the department expects to resolve its shortfalls, including improving public safety. However, as of now, Chicago police are only meeting 9% of the compliance requirements outlined in the consent decree.
