Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, April 14, 2017.
- Police elect new union president who will “fight for officers”
Chicago police officers elected a new union president Wednesday who promised to fight what he called the “anti-police movement in the city.” Kevin Graham defeated incumbent Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president Dean Angelo Sr. with 56 percent of the vote in a runoff. “We look forward to immediately preparing for the upcoming contract negotiations, fighting the anti-police movement in the city, and obtaining fair due process and discipline for our members,” Graham said in a statement. Angelo was prepared for the loss because the police force is demoralized, he said. “You have a no-one-has-your-back mentality in our ranks more prevalent now than ever before,” he told the Sun-Times. “Media and politicians have demonized this job over the last couple of years. Then they wonder why people in the community don’t want to work with or trust the police. How do you trust Satan reincarnated that you’ve created?” [Sun-Times] [DNAinfo Chicago]
- City Council Black Caucus members want to change police union contract
Meanwhile, members of the City Council Black Caucus are calling for changes to the police union contract that would make it easier to report police misconduct. All 18 members of the caucus will vote against the police union contract if Mayor Rahm Emanuel declines make the changes, caucus chair alderman Roderick Sawyer said. “The FOP contract has been preserving and protecting a culture of racism and violence in our Police Department for far too long,” Sawyer said. “Now is our chance to change that once and for all, and I would challenge the FOP to contact us and meet with us to discuss what’s beneficial for the entirety of the city of Chicago, not just the rank-and-file members of the Police Department.” [Tribune]
- The Civilian Office of Police Accountability will replace controversial Independent Police Review Authority in September
And finally, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability will replace the controversial Independent Police Review Authority September 15. The new office will “investigate allegations of excessive force and misconduct by police officers more thoroughly and faster,” according to DNAinfo Chicago. Chicagoans have until May 29 to submit feedback on a draft of the new agency’s rules. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Passenger dragged from a plane at O’Hare reportedly suffered a concussion, lost two front teeth, and and had his nose broken
Dr. David Dao “suffered a significant concussion, a broken nose, a sinus injury and lost two front teeth” when he was infamously dragged by security officers off of a United Airlines plane at O’Hare International Airport Sunday, according to the Tribune. Dao needs reconstructive surgery and was just released from the hospital Wednesday evening. “Unreasonable force and violence” were used during the incident, and Dao will “probably” sue United Airlines and the city, according to his attorney, personal injury lawyer Thomas Demetrio. “Maybe airlines need to start expecting the unexpected, but not at the expense, certainly not at the physical expense, of its paying passengers,” he told reporters at the Union League Club of Chicago. [Tribune]
- The culinary power couple behind Smyth and Loyalist share their story of running a restaurant in rural Virginia
Karen Urie and John Shields were rapidly rising stars in Chicago’s culinary scene who turned down an offer from Charlie Trotter to run his Las Vegas restaurant in order to open a restaurant in rural Chilhowie, Virginia, in 2008. The couple has since returned to Chicago, where they’ve opened two buzz-worthy restaurants, Smyth and Loyalist, in the same West Loop building. Chicago magazine has a very interesting interview with the restaurateurs about their experiences. [Chicago]
- A graphic novel about Chicago’s past will teach students about urban planning
A new graphic novel titled No Small Plans will teach Chicago Public School students about urban planning through the stories of local teens in 1928, 2017, and 2211. “Burnham and other city planners of his time were mainly thinking about what to build and where,” the vice president of education and experience at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Gabrielle Lyon, told City Lab. “Our novel is about who decides to build, and how decisions get made.” [City Lab]