Serving as a Chicago police officer is a difficult and thankless task. While 95 percent of our police officers are hardworking and decent people who struggle to do their job well, a very small percentage engage in conduct that disgraces their department and fellow officers. In the past year, our Chicago Police Department has been in the news for reasons we all consider appalling.

A Chicago resident was awarded $4 million last fall because he was attacked by officers with a screwdriver. Another resident was awarded $2 million after the courts decided that officers framed him. Furthermore, we have all seen the footage of an officer beating a female bartender and read about the officers who got into a fight with businessmen at a Rush Street bar. In addition, a barrage of public criticism led to the disbanding of the elite Special Operations Section (SOS) last October after extensive media coverage of kidnappings, robberies, and false arrests by police officers in this unit.

Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law school professor, conducted a study of 10,000 reports of serious abuse (including excessive force and false arrests) between 2002-2004. Only 19 of these complaints led to an officer’s suspension of a week or more. That is less than one percent of total complaints made.

Last summer, when members of the City Council asked for the names of officers with 10 complaints or more, the list we received from the Corporation Counsel had the names blacked out.

The city's refusal to furnish the list to the Council is consistent with a lack of transparency that permeates this critical department. It has been reported that the list includes members of SOS who are currently under federal indictment. Along with 27 of my fellow aldermen, I have requested the names from a federal appellate court and the case is currently pending.

The denial of access to the list reinforces the tarnished image that the department acquired in the 1990's as torture cases related to Commander Jon Burge became public. During the 1980’s and 1990’s, suspects were routinely tortured by Area Two detectives to force confessions. Since there is no doubt that torture took place, the only question can be to whom compensation is owed. It is disgraceful that the City continues to fight these cases. We need to acknowledge that the police officers were responsible for torturing suspects, apologize for that conduct, compensate the victims, and implement plans to reduce the likelihood such abuse will occur in the future.

The disbanding of the Special Operations Section shows that the Chicago Police Department is not immune to public pressure, but it is only a small step on the road to creating permanent change. The reestablishment of trust will come only after the department accepts its responsibilities and begins to discipline, rather than shelter, officers who abuse the citizens they are sworn to protect.

Toni Preckwinkle is Alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward.