COPA receives complaints from residents and individual police officers, as well as incident notifications from the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Some of these complaints fall within COPA’s jurisdiction, whereas others fall within CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs’s (BIA) jurisdiction. These complaints are sorted and classified based on which investigative body has jurisdiction over the matter. COPA’s jurisdiction is defined by a municipal ordinance that was enacted on October 6, 2016.

COPA Investigates Allegations of:

  • Bias-based verbal abuse
  • Coercion
  • Death or serious bodily injury in custody
  • Domestic violence
  • Excessive force
  • Improper search and seizure
  • Firearm discharge
  • Sexual misconduct
  • Taser discharge that results in death or serious bodily injury
  • Pattern or practices of misconduct
  • Unlawful denial or access to counsel

CPD’S Bureau of Internal Affairs Investigates:

All other complaints of police misconduct,
including but not limited to:

  • Criminal misconduct
  • Operational violations
  • Theft of money or property
  • Planting of drugs
  • Substance abuse
  • Residency violations
  • Medical roll abuse