1st Ward Report

O R D I N A N C E

WHEREAS, It is the policy of the City of Chicago to ensure that all persons within its jurisdiction have equal access to public services and shall be protected in the enjoyment of civil rights, and to promote mutual understanding and respect among all who live and work within the City; and

WHEREAS, It is the policy of the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago that individuals who identify themselves as transgender or who are gender non-conforming shall be treated fairly and equally; and

WHEREAS, It is the goal of the Chicago Police Department to ensure the safety of all individuals in their care and custody; and

WHEREAS, Police interactions with those who identify themselves as transgender may present certain unique operational issues; and

WHEREAS, the Chicago Police Department has been diligently working on a set of rules governing police interactions with those who identify themselves as transgender or who are gender non-conforming; now, therefore,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:

SECTION 1. The above recitals are expressly incorporated herein and made part hereof as though fully set forth herein.

SECTION 2. Within six months of the effective date of this ordinance, the Chicago Police Department shall report to the Committees on Public Safety and Human Relations its new policy for the treatment of transgender individuals (for purposes of this section, the “transgender policy”). The transgender policy shall include, in concord with the department’s expertise, the following:

(1) a definition of “gender” and “gender identity” with respect to the department’s policies pertaining to contact, arrest, search and detention;

(2) a prohibition on body searches solely to determine one’s gender;

(3) a requirement that police personnel shall respectfully refer to a transgender individual using pronouns that are consistent with the gender identity of the individual;

(4) a prohibition on more frequent or invasive searches of transgender individuals than of other individuals;

(5) a requirement that requests by transgender individuals for medical attention or care shall be honored in the same manner as that of other detainees;

(6) a requirement that police officers respond to complaints by transgender individuals in the same way they respond to all other complaints;