COPA releases details of sexual misconduct investigation between officers, migrants
CHICAGO - Chicago’s police oversight agency says it has not yet been able to substantiate allegations of sexual misconduct between police officers and migrants who were living at a police station on the city's West Side.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability gave an update Tuesday morning on its investigation into whether police officers from the 10th District engaged in sexual misconduct with migrants who were being housed at the station.
COPA Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten said on the evening of July 6, the agency received information from an unidentified source alleging a specific officer had sexual contact with an unidentified, underaged female migrant. The source also claimed other unidentified officers from the same district may have engaged in similar behavior.
Kersten said given the severity of the allegations, the agency has allocated significant resources into determining whether any wrongdoing occurred, and to identify the source of the initial accusations.
"This investigation remains open and ongoing, but I can confirm that to date, we have not identified any migrants claiming to be the victim of sexual assault or any form of sexual misconduct by CPD members," Kersten said.
She said the source of the initial allegation wasn't known, but that the information appeared to be circulating among Chicago Police Department and Office of Emergency Management employees.
Kersten also said that during their investigation, COPA has received additional complaints involving migrants, including one allegation of unidentified officers engaging in sexual misconduct with an unknown migrant in the 19th District.
"Similar to the allegations regarding the 10th District, COPA has been working to substantiate whether these allegations in fact occurred, and to identify any potential victims," Kersten said.
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The investigation involves four Chicago police officers accused of engaging in sexual relations with at least one migrant who was housed at the station.
While no action has been taken against any officer, Kersten said the investigation is far from over.
"Anytime you're investigating an allegation of sexual misconduct, particularly sensitive in nature, particularly involving a potential perpetrator in a position of trust, those are incredibly powerful barriers to people feeling that they can trust a system and come forward and share their experiences," Kersten said.
Alderman Daniel LaSpata (1st Ward) said while the findings are far from complete, any information is important to share with the public.
"It's always important that we affirm the work that COPA is doing. I trust their work. I feel like it would be a poor choice to leave any investigation in the place of 'I don't know'. And I know that in the absence of clear and accurate information, we get what we find on social media. So even when the point of an update like this is to say the investigation is ongoing, I feel like that's helpful," LaSpata said.
Kersten added that COPA has the ability to make recommendations to the police department and said they will certainly take advantage of that role to assure that any migrants housed at police stations are safe.
According to reports, four officers allegedly engaged in sexual relations with migrants who were living in the Ogden District police station.
The city began moving migrants out of the station as both the COPA and the CPD's Bureau of Internal Affairs began separate investigations into the allegations.
The most troubling allegation may just be that some of the sexual misconduct involved a teenager who became pregnant.
State Representative Chuy Garcia also released a statement Friday saying that some of the migrants these allegations are referring to were teenagers.
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"Our migrant neighbors came to Chicago seeking safety and stability. Police officers are sworn to protect our communities, not engage in illegal sexual conduct with teenagers and others in their care," Garcia said.
A spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson's office said they are monitoring the situation closely but cannot comment since the investigation is ongoing.
"The City takes these allegations, as well as the care and well-being of all residents and new arrivals, very seriously," the spokesperson said.
As of last week, 4,988 immigrants were staying at 12 makeshift city-run shelters, and an additional 650 individuals remained at police stations waiting for a shelter bed. In total, about 11,000 immigrants have come through Chicago as they seek asylum in the U.S.
On Monday, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced he had appointed Beatriz Ponce de Leon as the new Deputy Mayor of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights.
If anyone has information related to this incident, they are asked to contact COPA at 312-746-3609 or visit ChicagoCopa.org.