By Police1 Staff
CHICAGO – The Chicago Police Department has released hundreds of videos capturing incidents of use of force – an massive data dump in the name of improving transparency.
The department released the footage via Vimeo, and includes a link to an additional website where users can get more detail about each incident.
A video from a 2012 incident shows officers nearly struck by robbery suspects attempting to flee the scene in a minivan. Officers open fire, killing a suspect and wounding two others, according to the New York Times.
In another clip capturing a 2014 shooting, officers fire inside a fleeing vehicle.
Officers deploy an ECD and shoot an assault suspect in another video from 2012.
Over 300 clips were posted Friday by the Independent Police Review Authority – the first act in a reform policy that requires the department to release video from violent encounters within 60 days of their occurrence, according to the Associated Press. The dump involves 101 incidents investigated by officials, 30 of which resulted in a death. According to the Chicago Tribune, as many as half of the cases are still under investigation.
The Tribune reported the families of those who are captured on video were consulted prior to the release. The Fraternal Order of Police was also notified of the impending release.
The public release of the footage stems from the fatal 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald, which sparked public protests and a Department of Justice probe into the Chicago PD’s practices. The officer involved in the McDonald shooting, Jason Van Dyke, has been charged with first-degree murder in the case and is awaiting trial.
The release of the footage has caused concern among those in law enforcement. AP reported the head of the Chicago police union, Dean Angelo, warned that patrol video often doesn’t fully capture an incident.
“The concern is they’re putting this out there, and (the officers’) kids and neighbors are going to see it, and we’re not getting the entire incident,” Angelo told AP.