Tensions rise as COPA’s Kersten, CPD’s Snelling disagree over public commentary of Dexter Reed shooting
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CHICAGO — Demonstrators spent the majority of Thursday evening outside the Chicago Police Department’s headquarters, with tensions also rising inside the building during the first CPD board meeting since the release of the body camera footage from the Dexter Reed fatal shooting.
Disagreements between the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) and CPD came to a headway during the meeting, with COPA Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten and CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling in the same building to hash out how the public side of the investigation has been handled.
“This criticism demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of COPA’s role and responsibility and smacks of hypocrisy,” Kersten said during the meeting. “The one thing that would unquestionably taint the ongoing criminal investigation into this incident would be to make public statements that incorporate information learned from an officer’s constitutionally protected interview with COPA investigators.”
Last week, Kersten announced the basis of Dexter Reed’s traffic stop was a seat belt violation, but she raised concerns about whether the tactical team who killed him was honest about that basis. And she conducted interviews with many media outlets last week, including with ESPN host Stephen A. Smith.
Last week, Snelling said anyone putting those details into the public about the basis of the traffic stop was doing so irresponsibly because the officers hadn’t been interviewed yet.
“This is misleading at best – misleading. When we talk about an officer being interviewed, when you make statements and you put them out in the public, you’re framing the mind of the people before the video is even released,” Snelling said. “We will continue to make sure that this is investigated properly. You will not find me on the Stephen A. Smith show.”
Both leaders said transparency is key, they just don’t see eye-to-eye on what that means.
Kersten said the public can expect more media appearances in the future because, in her words, it is her responsibility to use all platforms to inform the public.
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