Cook County sheriff releases excessive force videos
http://wgntv.com/2016/04/15/report-cook-county-sheriff-to-release-excessive-force-videos/
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has decided to release videos documenting cases of excessive force against jail inmates.
“The public has a right to know when officers abuse the public trust as well as the ramifications of that abuse,” said Sheriff Dart.
The videos correspond to six individual cases, involving 14 officers. Five officers were fired, one resigned, and the other eight were suspended without pay ranging from 45 to 180 days, according to The Sun-Times.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart says no prison has released video like this before. But he says the public has a right to transparency.
The Cook County Sheriff invested more than $10 million to install more than 2,400 cameras throughout the jail compound.
Cara Smith, of the Cook County Sheriff's Department says they're valuable in bringing transparency.
"Cameras are a great deterrent. They're also a great tool to exonerate staff when complaints made against them are false and to hold them accountable," Smith said.
The officers’ union is reportedly threatening to sue over the release of these videos.