The Chicago Police Department has fully complied with 32 percent of the court‑ordered consent decree, but the retirement of Chief Paul Snelling is being viewed as a test for the ongoing reform effort.
A court‑appointed monitoring team continues to track the department’s progress under the decree, which requires reforms aimed at protecting the constitutional rights of Black and Latino residents. The decree set a compliance deadline of June 2026.
The consent decree was issued to halt routine violations of those residents’ constitutional rights and to guide the department toward lasting change.