The 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) was held in Chicago, Illinois from Monday, August 19, through Thursday, August 22, 2024. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) employed a series of strategies and procedures specially designed to address the possibility of a temporary increase in complaints.
Throughout the duration of the convention, COPA was committed to being transparent and sharing information with the public regarding DNC-related complaints. The agency provided daily updates to media, elected officials and stakeholders to better inform the communities they serve. Members of the public can view complaint data and demographics related to the Democratic National Convention via our public dashboard.
To better understand COPA’s jurisdiction, role in investigating allegations of misconduct and in order to help clarify the expectations if a complaint is filed or information is shared with our agency as a member of the public, COPA has provided a series of frequently asked questions related to DNC-related complaints for clarity.
If you have experienced, witnessed or have information regarding an incident involving an allegation of police misconduct, please visit our Complaints Page.
If you would like to compliment an officer, visit our Compliments Page.
If you have any further questions regarding COPA’s processes related to such events, please contact COPA-PublicAffairs@ChicagoCOPA.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the law enforcement member is not a member of the Chicago Police Department?
In support of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the city will utilize the services of external law enforcement agencies and others to supplement some of CPD’s services. While COPA solely has jurisdiction over members of the Chicago Police Department, we will process complaints of other law enforcement agencies and make best attempts to distribute the complaint to the alleged member’s respective oversight entity.
What if I am not a Chicago resident?
COPA receives, creates a log for tracking and investigates all complaints of misconduct against CPD members, regardless of an individual’s residency status.
What if I do not have identifying information of the involved member?
While it is helpful, it is not always necessary to know the names of the officers involved or the people who witnessed an incident. COPA can conduct an investigation with limited information from a complainant however any information that can assist COPA in identifying an officer, potential witnesses, including addresses, descriptions, and nicknames, may be useful.
What types of incidents can I report?
To view a list of allegations that fall under the investigatory jurisdiction of COPA and CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs, visit COPA’s Jurisdiction Page. While this list covers many of the basic types of complaints COPA and BIA investigate, it is ultimately the responsibility of the investigative agencies to determine if alleged misconduct may have occurred and if an investigation is warranted
I am worried about harassment or retaliation against myself or my organization.
Harassment or retaliation against a complainant by any officer is unacceptable and expressly prohibited pursuant to MCC §2-78-160. If an individual believes he or she has been subjected to harassment or retaliation because a complaint has been filed, or because attention is being brought to a pending investigation, he or she should immediately notify COPA.
What if I have photo or video evidence I want to share?
If you have photos, videos or other digital media files that you would like to share with COPA, please submit such files directly to
DNC-COPA@ChicagoCOPA.org . If you believe you were the subject of or witness to a complaint, please submit a complaint through one of our various intake methods.
Visit COPA’s FAQs page for additional commonly asked questions.
