WHAT THIS REFERENDUM WOULD DO
See full details here: https://www.caarpr.org/peoplesguide-to-ecps
The Referendum for Community Control of the Police would increase the power of the existing city-wide Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability and make it directly elected. The text of this referendum will appear on the ballot as follows:
“Shall the City of Chicago make the Commission created by Chapter 2-80 that oversees the Chicago Police Department (CPD) an 11-person body consisting of 9 Elected Commissioners and 2 Appointed Commissioners, and give the Commission authority over the following: CPD budget; hiring and firing (for cause) the Superintendent of Police and members of the Police Board; CPD, police board, and COPA policies; and police union contracts, in addition to any powers the commission already has or that are listed in Section 5 of the Ordinance that created the Commission?"
When passed, this referendum would:
Make the Commission a truly democratic body with 9 elected positions and 2 appointed positions. The 2 appointed positions are reserved for youth and those with a history of incarceration who are otherwise excluded from running for public office
Give the Commission power to negotiate the Fraternal Order of Police contract, set the CPD budget, directly appoint and remove the Superintendent and members of the Police Board
This means putting the people in charge of who polices our communities and how our communities are policed.
HOW WE GET THIS REFERENDUM PASSED
In order to pass this binding referendum, we need to:
Pass the referendum ordinance through City Council by winning a majority of votes
Mobilize voters across Chicago to vote YES on the referendum
HOW YOU CAN HELP
See the template that we have attached to the email link below to email our alderman Bennet Lawson to demand his support the referendum for community control of the police:
Email: ward44@cityofchicago.org
Our alderman Lawson’s office has a history of hiding our community’s feedback. We are appealing repeated FOIA denials just to get the community feedback information about 2026 Protect Chicago Budget from 44th ward office and make it public. To provide addition insurance against our alderman’s office hiding this information, email his office and CC us at (info@44th-ward.com). Email template that is attached to the link above already includes CC of our email address and a sample text. Just add your name and phone/address to the template before sending. We will keep your information private and publish the tally of support right here on our site and our social media.
CONTACT CAARPR AT
312-939-2750
6353 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago IL 60637
For more information, read below.