Kim Foxx Pledges Faster Probes Of Police, Big Changes In State's Attorney's Office
By aaroncynic in News on Dec 6, 2016 5:05PM
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx outlined her plans for the office in several interviews with media on Monday, just days after being sworn into the office.
Foxx, who ousted Anita Alvarez for the post in the March primaries and sailed through the November election, said her plans for reshaping the office include targeting gun trafficking and redesigning the process of wrongful-conviction reviews, plus speeding up and making investigations into allegations of police misconduct more transparent.
In an interview with Fox32, she criticized the slow-moving nature of investigations into police shootings and said she plans to launch criminal investigations much quicker.
"Waiting for evidence after it's become stale or after memories have become foggy, months after the fact, to begin those types of investigations are not in line with best practices,” she told Fox32. “And that's why we're going to review it.”
Foxx told the Tribune she plans to create a unit that will focus on gun trafficking.
“We have a lot of guns on the street. Why? Said Foxx.” How are we partnering to stop the flow of guns. How are we actively going after the suppliers?”
According to NBC5, she also plans to bring on an ethics officer and a diversity officer to conduct internal audits, while also asking the Cook County Board to allow her to hire 150 new prosecutors. In addition, the newly sworn in State’s Attorney also plans to seek the appointment of special prosecutors in police shootings.
"We have a crisis of confidence in our criminal justice system," said Foxx. "I think what we've seen, again not just here but across the country, around the distrust as it relates as to how we hold people accountable, requires that we be transparent in the process."
While her outline might give optimism to those hoping for more transparency, more accountability and ultimately fewer police shootings, not everyone is happy with Foxx’s plans. Dean Angelo, President of the Fraternal Order Police Lodge 7 told Fox32 that he believes speeding up those investigations is “dangerous.”
"Murders that are out there seem to be lost in the fog of 'police accountability.' They're looking at the wrong target,” said Angelo. “The police have got the target on 'em."