Another Program?

Another "wellness" program:

• The Chicago Police Department has unveiled a pilot program that will analyze records of personnel complaints, excessive force and other data to identify officers who may need intervention in the hopes of preventing events that shake the community’s trust in officers.
  
  But experts who reviewed the department’s plan say it includes no accountability for officers who may show a pattern of problematic behavior, leaving the department without recourse to pull officers from the street or take disciplinary measures based on the information turned up by the program.
  
  Instead, the program is promoted as an officer wellness tool, being rolled out along with another pilot program, a telehealth app that will allow officers expanded options for mental health treatment on their phones.

And right away, it's a hammer with "reporters" tossing their own slant into it regarding "accountability" and "disciplinary measures."

But don't worry, it gets better:

• CPD officials say this program is not punitive, and that they already have other systems in place to investigate allegations and discipline officers. Instead, the Officer Support System will identify officers when the problems are minor and refer them to their supervisor, which may lead to counseling or retraining.

The supervisors who are being buried in minutiae over the "Consent Decree"? Supervisors with zero training in psychological issues, family counseling, anger management? We're pretty sure everything will be "recommend counseling" and the Department will wash its hands of any sort of responsibility. Has the Department even come close to meeting the "Consent Decree" numbers for licensed professional counselors?

Just so everyone knows, this effort is spearheaded by the University of Chicago, so it's already suspect. And perpetual gadfly Craig Futterman seems to have input, which makes it a vehicle for anti-police sentiment from jump street. We wouldn't cooperate pouring water on that goof if he was on fire.