NORTH SUBURBAN ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE April 1, 2019 State's Attorney Kim Foxx ra 69 W. Washington Crary Chicago, IL 60602 State's Attorney Foxx, Tin ives ‘The North Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police represents Chiefs and Deputy Chiet® from more than thirty North Suburban Cook County Police Departments. ney This membership has tasked me, as President, to express the deep concems we have i Stose regarding your leadership of the Cook County State’s Attomey’s Office, specifically ea in the areas of felony review, non-prosecution of certain low-level offenses, and the handling of the recent Jussie Smollett matter. PTT Xes KO) Ay Since your election in November 2016, our membership, along with the memberships of the South Suburban Association of ChiefS of Police and West Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police, has sought to work collaboratively with you and ‘your staff on issues pertaining to the felony review process. Our shared goal is the safety and well-being ofall the citizens residing in our communities, COMMITTEE However, during your tenure, the centralized felony review process has remained Cor AVITSy problematic. Police personnel receive contradictory guidance from different Assistant State's Attomeys. When the Felony Review attomeys change shifts, officers waste countless hours reviewing the same evidentiary facts of cases with the incoming attorneys. For suburban departments, the geographic removal of ‘your felony review staff and lack of responsiveness to many questions strains our local Tesource; additional time to the investigatory process and overtime expenses to our communities, Moreover, our officers must explain your decisions not to prosecute to our local victims. These problems are particularly frustrating in light of the rank Kanak numerous meetings between Police and State’s Attorney leadership staff. These ee meetings have had little tangible results, S, adding EN In addition, you have unilaterally decided not to prosecute retail thefts under $1000 fread as a felony (in addition to other qualifiers) despite the legislature's felony criminalization of thefts over $300, This interpreting of prosecution ¢ ‘ontrary to Illinois law sends the message to police departments and the busines Scommunity that KE feneryoudon’ . 1 about individual accountability. The unwritten message is the commission Of retail thers ig Fi suspended aera Permissible behavior. Similarly, you unilaterally stopped prosecuting unli Fi 7 za cases, despite j Sensed drivers and most recently have decided not to prosecute marijuan@ ts rae ce a Police agencies Surrent illegality. These decisions add to the continuing resource burden 0” Offenses for which Suggests charging ordinance violatio; multiple offenses © Continue, as we are required, to investigate and make arrests for these Accountability and deterrence are greatly diminished, Your office repested!Y these crimes under local ordinance violations. Yet, non-criminal local ns have insufficient penalties to force compliance and do nothing to address in different municipalities. You and your staff argue that these are insignificant enterprises, che Ss, however the connection of both crimes in supporting larger criminal drug 'n controlled by street gangs, means that many people will continue to be victimized, either di i tl i Ctimized, either directly due to losses from these crimes or in struggles, often violent, to control the larger criminal enterprises, The abrupt dropping of the 16 indictments against actor Jussie Smollet during an unannounced Court hearing on March 26, 2019 is the latest and most egregious example of the failure by You and your staff to hold offenders accountable. The Chicago Police Department worked in excess of 1,700 hours investigating this false claim of a hate crime. They diverted significant resources, and a substantial portion of a limited overtime budget to build this case with your staff. To have the charges dismissed, with no explanation and a sealed court file shows a lack of respect for the professionals you work with. As executives charged with managing police operations that safeguard our communities, we cannot ignore the choices you have made as the Cook County State’s Attorney and the impact it is having on our ability to reduce and deter criminal activities. It appears your strategy to address non-violent crime in Cook County is to decriminalize or ignore it, regardless of any collateral cost which is born overwhelmingly by individual communities and their police agencies. The fact that you and your staff have made these decisions without consultation with our departments undermines any statements you have made that the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office is working with us to maintain safe, crime free communities. Itis because of our solemn responsibility that the Police Executives in our organization have considered and passed a Vote of No Confidence in your performance of your duties as Cook County State’s Attorney. Respectfully, Ahk. ee ~— Mellema, President ; North Suburban ‘Association of Chiefs of Police