Cook County Board Eliminates Regional Gang Data Base

Cook County Board of Commissioners Committee Meetings - February 20, 2019

Criminal Justice Committee

• After several amendments and substitutions, the Criminal Justice Committee voted to prohibit the use of Sheriff Dart’s Regional Gang Data Base (Agenda Item 19-0687). 
• The Sheriff has already decommissioned the data base, but this ordinance seeks to prevent a future use by other officials and to prevent a re-commissioning of any future data base. 
• The ordinance also provides that this committee will hold a public hearing within 90 days on  this issue. 
• Public speakers brought up issues of discrimination, due process and fairness.  84% of the people on the gang data base are African-American or Latino.

Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee

• Approved an ordinance that gives a preference on county contracts to businesses owned by people with disabilities—physical and mental. (Agenda Item 19-0604)  

Asset Management Committee

• Deferred an item that sets up a new procedure for awarding Capital Planning contracts.  Commissioners S. Morrison and Silvestri were concerned that the Board is left out of contract oversight with this new procedure.  Since so many questions were brought up, further meetings between Procurement and commissioners will be held before a vote. (Agenda Item 19-1074)
• Also Deferred at the request of the sponsor, Comm. Moore - a resolution that would hold a hearing to discuss the various projects and programs run by the Bureau of Asset Management. (Agenda Item 19-1358)

Other Items of Interest

• Apparently over the last two days, one regular speaker has been derogatory in speaking against the Human Rights Committee formation and against immigrants.  The Board will seek a legal opinion on what can be done about abusive speakers during the public testimony time.
• This observer came at the designated time for the beginning of all these committee meetings—10:30am.  However, the lengthy Consent Calendar, whereby residents and other groups are honored for various accomplishments, was only partially completed so the committee meetings did not begin until 12:50pm.  The committee meetings all  adjourned by 3:15pm.  The League has long proposed that the Consent Calendar business be conducted on days other than Regular Board meeting and committee meeting days so that more time can be spent on the business of the County.

Observer - Karin Hribar