AustinWeeklyNews_101216

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AUSTIN WEEKLY news ■

W. Side stakeholders unite to talk election, drugs, more,

Vol. 30 No. 40

October 12, 2016

austinweeklynews.com

@AustinWeeklyChi

PAGE 9

Also serving Garfield Park

Treat addiction, lock up dealers, page 6

City approves IPRA’s ‘modest’ replacement The new Civilian Office of Police Accountability wouldn’t change much, says W. Side alderman By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

It may be out with the old when it comes to the city’s ability to properly investigate police misconduct, but many community stakeholders and elected officials are arguing that there’s not much that’s new about the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). During an Oct. 5 meeting, the City Council voted 39-8 in favor of adopting a plan that calls for replacing the controversial Independent Police Review Authority with COPA — an agency that city officials say will have more power than its predecessor to look into allegations of police abuse and police-involved shootings. The agency will also be empowered to make policy and procedural recommendations to the police department. According to a recent Chicago Tribune report, the approved ordinance “will create a new post of deputy inspector general to audit the new police accountability system and identify patterns and practices that violate constitutional rights. That person will be picked by the inspector general, who is appointed by the mayor.” The Tribune noted that the mayor, who had hoped to have IPRA’s replacement See COPA on page 5

WILLIAM CAMARGO/Staff Photographer

Above and beyond

A resident gets assistance from a social service provider during an Oct. 7 job and housing fair held at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center in East Garfield Park. Read more on page 4.

City boosts heroin treatment funding Spurred by heroin task force, Emanuel announces $700,000 treatment investment By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Building on more than three dozen recommendations included in a final report drafted by the Chicago-Cook County Task Force on Heroin — co-chaired by Ald. Ed Burke (14th) and Cook County Commissioner Rich-

ard Boykin (1st) — Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a series of measures to fight heroin and opioid addiction, including tougher regulations and increased annual spending on treatment programs. During an Oct. 6 press conference at PCC Austin Family Health Center, 5425 W. Lake St., in Austin, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that the city would boost annual

spending on heroin addiction treatment by $700,000 (or 50 percent more than the current funding level). The additional funding would be “directed to areas of greatest need,” according to a statement released by the mayor’s office. The mayor said that $250,000 would go to-

Austin Chamber of Commerce on the move... 773.854.5848 • www.austinchicagochamber.com

See HEROIN FUNDING on page 6


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