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October 21, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — Two officers stripped of their powers following an alleged beating have been reinstated while the investigation continues against the five other officers allegedly involved.
The police union said Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis jumped the gun relieving the two officers of their police powers and is demanding an apology.
“You have to remember, we relieve officers for the welfare of the public and the officers. It is not discipline. It is not a suspension,” Weis said.
Story: 7 cops stripped of duties amid brutality probe
Accusations of police brutality emerged after a handcuffed suspect was allegedly assaulted by a police officer on the South Side.
“That’s serious. When we learned this information from the Independent Police [Review] Authority, we had to take immediate action. Based on the facts at that time, it was appropriate that the officers identified to us were relieved of police powers,” Weis said. “If we receive allegations, we will oftentimes relieve them of police powers if we feel they represent a problem for the public. We do this for the protection of all involved.”
Weis also recently announced he will shift more officers to higher-crime areas while almost all the numbers in every crime category are down.
