U.S. Representative Bobby Rush revealed Thursday that more than a dozen Chicago cops were caught on CCTV lounging in his campaign office a...
U.S. Representative Bobby Rush revealed Thursday that more than a dozen Chicago cops were caught on CCTV lounging in his campaign office and drinking coffee while nearby businesses were being looted.
Rush, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and police chiefs slammed the actions of the officers who were seen on their phones, making popcorn, and even napping after they were called to investigate a break-in at the office on June 1.
The congressman said the officers involved had 'unmitigated gall' to be taking a break there 'while looters were tearing apart businesses within their sight and within their reach'.
Mayor Lightfoot said that the incident was 'a personal embarrassment' and the officers would be punished.
It comes as the mayor teased 'monumental reforms' for the city's police department in the wake of the recent protests against police brutality.
Chicago police officers napped in U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush's office while nearby businesses were being looted, he announced at a stunning news conference alongside Mayor Lori Lightfoot
CCTV stills from June 1 were shown in a press conference Thursday. They showed more than a dozen Chicago police officers making popcorn and coffee in U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush's office
The bizarre episode was announced in a press conference on Thursday in which images of the officers and their actions were shared.
Rush said that he received a call nearly two weeks ago telling him that his office at 5401 S. Wentworth Ave. had been broken into.
Having reviewed the CCTV, he found that eight or more officers and their three supervisors had entered the office after the break in and made use of his facilities while looting continued nearby.
The cops are first shown entering at around 1am on June 1 and several officers make use of the office at differing times.
'One was asleep on my couch in my campaign office,' Rush said.
'They even had the unmitigated gall to go and make coffee for themselves and to pop popcorn, my popcorn, in my microwave while looters were tearing apart businesses within their sight and within their reach.
'They took such a lackadaisical attitude, a non-caring attitude in my own personal space while looting was occurring all around them. They didn't care. But I stand here to salute our great mayor,' Rush added as he praised her rapid response.
The congressman had informed Mayor Lightfoot of the incident on Wednesday and she said that she would take immediate action.
'That's a personal embarrassment to me,' Lightfoot said.
'I'm sorry that you and your staff even had to deal with this incredible indignity.'
During the press conference, Lightfoot showed stills from the footage of the cops as she condemned their behavior.
'Not one of these officers will be allowed to hide behind the badge and go on and act like nothing ever happened,' she said.
Congressman Rush said the officers involved had 'unmitigated gall' to be taking a break there 'while looters were tearing apart businesses within their sight and within their reach'
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday that the incident was 'a personal embarrassment'
'These individuals were lounging a congressman's office, having a little hangout for themselves while small businesses on the South Side were getting looted and burned.'
She said the officers would be punished but it is yet unclear how.
'I believe we should take the strongest possible action. Particularly with supervisors,' Lightfoot said.
'There will be a reckoning with the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) and that moment is now.'
The group was also condemned by police leaders.
'We had 120 officers injured that night that they sat there,' First Deputy Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department Anthony Riccio said, according the NBC Chicago.
'I'm not playing with you that I mean when I say we'll hold you accountable,' Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown added.
Police officers were shown lounging in the office and on their phones
At least eight officers were involved and three of their supervisors
The group had arrived to answer a call of a break-in at the office but stayed at different times to lounge, drink coffee and eat popcorn. Rep. Rush has slammed their behavior
'Move, get out of the way, but we are going to uphold the nobility of this profession. This conduct is not representative but if it's not let's do something about it.
'If you sleep during a riot what do you do during a regular shift when there's no riot?' Brown asked.
Congressman Rush co-founded the the Illinois Black Panther Party in 1968 in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr's death.
He has been in Congress since 1993, representing parts of the South Side, Cook and Will counties.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Rush previously said that that those voting for Lightfoot had 'the blood of the next young black man or black woman who is killed by the police' on their hands.
They joined forced on Thursday, however, to condemn the officers' actions.
'We haven't always agreed on every issue, but today, we are in total alignment in our righteous anger and our steadfast determination, and I want to make sure that's very clear,' Lightfoot said.
'What I know of Congressman Rush is this — he has committed his life to calling out and fighting against injustice and this presents exactly one of those moments.'
Police and protesters have clashed in cities across the country as demonstrations over the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have swept the U.S. Several Chicago cops are now under investigation for misconduct. Pictured a protest in Chicago on June 6
It comes after string of incidents involving Chicago cops and their alleged misconduct during the recent civil unrest that are now under investigation.
Among them is an FBI investigation into allegations that a Chicago cop pulled a woman from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck.
Chicago Police Board President Ghian Foreman, who oversees the panel in charge of serious officer discipline, has also claimed that the city's cops hit him with batons during a clash with protesters.
And a Chicago cop who was called out by Lightfoot after being photographed making an obscene gesture at protesters last week has also now been stripped of his powers.
Mayor Lightfoot has suggested that there will be 'monumental reforms' made to the city's police department in the wake of the recent protests police brutality.
'I’m hoping that we're going to announce soon some pretty monumental reforms that we pushed for and we've won, and to set the stage for what I know is going to be a long fight around police reform,' Lightfoot said Sunday on MSNBC.
'We've got to get unions to understand that they've got to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem,' she continued.
'First of all, we've got to speak our values through these contracts. We've got to lay out a very clear set of principles around reform and accountability and not allow the extraordinary due process that police officers get to be a road block to accountability,' Lightfoot added.
On Thursday she pushed forward a plan to require certification for police officers.
'I have directed my legal team to do the research and draft legislation,' she said
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