Jewish people begin the great festival of Passover at sundown Friday. We will do our best to experience the journey of the people of Israel as they left Egypt and the system of oppression in which they lived. It is a story of hope, faith and courage. It is also a story with meaning for modern Chicagoans.
I want to express my appreciation to Mayor Rahm Emanuel for the opportunity to serve on the Police Accountability Task Force. The seriousness with which the members of the task force took their work was a tribute to our city.
Together, members of the task force attended town hall meetings where we heard the anger and mistrust that exist between the people of our city, especially people of color, and their Police Department. We also visited the police academy and were impressed with the sensitivity training offered there, as well as the seriousness with which the department is trying to address difficult issues while preparing officers for their challenging work. My own subcommittee focused on community policing, and it opened my eyes to the Independent Police Review Authority and its utter lack of effectiveness. The sad fact that IPRA has investigated nearly 400 police-involved shootings since 2008, but has found wrongdoing by police in only two cases, speaks for itself.
I was happy to see the mayor’s announcement Thursday that the city will enact a third of the task force’s recommendations immediately. It speaks to the seriousness with which he and the superintendent are taking these issues. However, I urge the mayor take additional bold steps.
The city should acknowledge the history of racism that has existed within the Chicago Police Department. This is not a reflection on the vast majority of police officers but an indictment of a system that has denied it has a festering problem. Real healing begins with an apology to those who were hurt.
The mayor should replace IPRA. Sometimes things are too broken to be repaired. If we are going to see real change, let’s begin by creating a truly transparent means of addressing issues that arise between police and citizens.
It is also time for the mayor to appoint a deputy police chief for diversity and reconciliation. As has been shown in other cities, such a person can build trust among the citizenry and head off issues before they arise. Such a person can, over time, change the fundamental ways in which police look at citizens and citizens look at police.
More Top Picks Best Weighted Vests For Classrooms
At Passover Seders, we tell the story of the escape of the Israelites and the splitting of the sea.
The story captures that moment when Moses and the people stood between the water and the charging Egyptian army seeking their ruin. The people cried out in fear as Moses tried to relay God’s message to them to walk out into the water. According to legend, there was a man named Nachshon who believed in something that seemed impossible. Nachshon began to walk into the water as the Egyptians came closer. As the water came to Nachshon’s hips and then his shoulders, the people fell silent, staring at this lone figure. He continued walking as the water reached his chin and mouth. It was only when the water touched his nostrils that the water split and the people walked forward into a new day and a renewed destiny.
Today, there are too many people saying that Chicago cannot change, that the issues are far too ingrained in the fabric of our city. There are too many who believe that the system is fine the way it is and the problem is with the residents themselves. There are too many people who believe that the system is stacked against them and change will never come through conventional means.
The story of Nachshon reminds us that leadership requires realism and idealism. It is a story the mayor and all of us ought to keep in mind as we move ahead.
Michael Siegel is the senior rabbi and Norman Asher Rabbinic Chair at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago.