Chicago Police Board review of LeGrier, Jones shooting now underway
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A member of the Chicago Police Board has been assigned to review the shooting deaths of Quintonio LeGrier and Bettie Jones to determine between competing recommendations about whether the officer-involved shooting was justified or not.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) recommended that Officer Robert Rialmo be fired, calling the shooting unjustified. But police Superintendent Eddie Johnson disagreed with that finding and said in his own report that Rialmo followed the police use of force policy in place at the time of the 2015 shooting and should be exonerated.
Late in 2017 the police department revised that policy. The name of the police board member reviewing Rialmo's case was not released on Thursday, but that person has until April 25 to review the reports and make a disciplinary recommendation for Rialmo.
If the board member sides with Johnson, Rialmo will get to keep his job. If not, the entire Police Board will review the case and hold a hearing before deciding Rialmo's fate.
The next Police Board meeting is scheduled for April 19, and it's possible a decision could be announced then. If not, it would then be taken up at the May 17 meeting.
