“Unacceptable” punishment for officers involved in Jessica Klyzek case

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UPDATE: Advancing Justice | Chicago will host a PRESS CONFERENCE with Asian American community members on September 4, 9AM at Chicago Police Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave. Please contact Brandon Lee (info above) for additional information. Our full statement on IPRA’s recommendations is below.

«Unacceptable» punishment for officers involved in Jessica Klyzek case

IPRA’s recommendation does not grant the community the justice it deserves

CHICAGO – The Independent Police Review Authority has announced its recommendations for reprimanding the police officers involved in the Jessica Klyzek case, and has suggested menial penalties that do not match the severity of the misconduct by the officers involved.  Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago calls on Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to act within his power to fire these officers.

“It is unacceptable that these officers would get such light punishments,” said Andy Kang, Legal Director of Advancing Justice | Chicago. “For the Asian American community, this case is another example of the devaluing of the lives of immigrants, women, and people who are undocumented, in addition to being an example of how ignorant stereotypes can be violently employed when left unchecked by our government institutions. “

In June 2014, Advancing Justice | Chicago organized a town hall meeting attended by 120 community members representing 33 organizations, with representatives from the Mayor’s Office and Scott Ando, the head of IPRA. At the town hall, community members voiced their outrage by demanding the firing of the officers involved, and have since awaited the results of this investigation.

In a June 2014 letter, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that the comments and conduct of the officers “are despicable and do not reflect the values of the hard working men and women in the Chicago Police Department, or the values of our city.”

“Just as the officers’ conduct does not match the values of the city, neither do these punishments,” said Kang. “Superintendent McCarthy has the authority to review all of IPRA’s punishments, and he must begin treating acts of police brutality with the severity that they deserve, not only in this instance but in all cases of police brutality.”

Advancing Justice | Chicago will continue pushing an amendment to Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance. This amendment would increase the punishment for threatening to deport community members to a level consistent with coercion.  Advancing Justice | Chicago will also continue to support organizations such as We Charge Genocide, Chicago Votes, and the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials who have and continue to push ordinances such as the STOP Act and reparations for John Burge torture survivors.

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Asian Americans Advancing Justice—Chicago is the leading pan-Asian, multi-issue organization in the Midwest dedicated to empowering the Asian American community through advocacy by utilizing education, research, and coalition-building. Established in 1992, Advancing Justice—Chicago (formerly the Asian American Institute) was founded by a group of visionary Chicago community activists, academicians, and business leaders in response to the growing need to build a pan-Asian policy agenda among Chicago’s diverse Asian American communities. Advancing Justice-Chicago projects a united voice on the most pressing issues of concern to Asian Americans in metropolitan Chicago.

Advancing Justice—Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is a member of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice national affiliation, with partner affiliates in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta.