Chicago's Police Accountability Task Force released a scathing report Wednesday, concluding that officers in the department have "no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color."

The mayor-appointed task force members called on the Chicago Police Department to "acknowledge its racist history and overhaul its handling of excessive force allegations."

The report urged police to end the "code of silence" about problem officers within the department. It also took aim at police union contracts, saying they "essentially turned the code of silence into official policy." 

Chicago's Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) is also "badly broken" and should be replaced with a "new and fully transparent and accountable Civilian Police Investigative Agency," according to the task force.

"It is essential that the police department take responsibility for the way in which it polices and the way in which it has in many instances alienated people of color," said Police Accountability Task Force Chairwoman Lori Lightfoot.  "It is something that has to be understood, it has to be accepted if we are ever to move forward in a positive direction."

Earlier today, aldermen confirmed CPD veteran Eddie Johnson as the city's permanent top cop.

"We have racism in America. We have racism in Chicago. So it stands to reason we would have some racism within our agency. My goal is to root that out," Johnson said to the media at the council meeting.