Below are three FOIAs we filed with various city agencies to obtain a copy of the complaint filed by 38th Ward Alderperson Nicholas Sposato with the Office of Inspector General regarding the conduct of Chief Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Andrea Kersten.
Sposato, who is an outspoken supporter of the Chicago Police Department, allegedly filed the complaint because he took offense to Kersten’s comments public comments about the shooting of Dexter Reed. Kersten went public with a letter she sent to CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling requesting that he strip the officers involved of their police powers. The officers involved have a track record of unconstitutional traffic stops that seem to be nothing but a pretext for unconstitutional searches of their vehicles.
One note on Sposato’s absolute cult like support for the CPD. In response to the video of the murder of LaQuan McDonald at the hands of Chicago police officers, introduced the Blue Lives Matter ordinance. Sposato is not an accountability guy. He is more like let the police do anything they want and don’t ever question anything they do.
We will keep updated on all three FOIAs below.
FOIA Contant
Re: 38th Ward Alderperson Nicholas Sposato Complaint Regarding COPA ChiefAdministrator
In accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, I request that your
office provide copies of the following public records:
FOIA A
Copies of all emails with attachments from 38th Ward Alderperson Nicholas Sposato to your
office from April 10, 2024, through May 10, 2024, regarding the Chief Administrator of the
Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
FOIA B
Copies of all emails with attachments from email accounts associated with the City Council
Committee on Special Events staff and chairperson from April 10, 2024, through May 10, 2024,
regarding the Chief Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
FOIA C
Copy of the complaint filed by 38th Ward Alderperson Nicholas Sposato regarding the Chief
Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
FOIA D
Records sufficient to show Your efforts to locate and produce the records requested in FOIA AC
above. This should include:
A. Where you searched for responsive Records and Documents.
B. Who searched for responsive Records and Documents.
C. Who was requested to produce responsive Records and Documents.
D. The identity of any Records and Documents that were located but not produced for
any reason.
DEFINITIONS
“Document” and/or “Documents” means any documents or electronically stored information of any
kind—including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other
data or data compilations—stored in any medium from which information can be obtained either directly
or, if necessary, after translation by the responding party into a reasonably usable form.
“You” or “Your” means the {Public Body}, and all attorneys, employees, officers, directors, bureaus,
offices, divisions or subdivisions of same.
INSTRUCTIONS
If the agency withholds any document or information pertinent to the requests made herein, please
identify the document or information in as much detail as is possible, and detail in specific language why each document or piece of information is being withheld.
If any information requested herein is withheld on the basis of a claim of privilege or other protection as
material prepared in anticipation of litigation or trial, then that claim shall be made expressly in a writing
that describes the nature of the Documents, Communications, or Things not produced or disclosed in a
manner that will enable us to assess the applicability of the privilege or protection. With regard to each
claim of privilege or protection, the following information should be provided in the response or the
objection:
(a) the type of Document, e.g., letter or memorandum;
(b) general subject matter of the Document;
(c) the date of the Document;
(d) such other information as is sufficient to identify the Document for a subpoena duces tecum,
including, where appropriate, the author, addressee, and any other recipient of the Document,
and, where not apparent, the relationship of the author, addressee, and any other recipient to each
other; and
(e) the nature of the privilege or protection;
(f) if applicable, the litigation or trial of which he document was created in anticipation.
If any Document identified herein has been lost, discarded, or destroyed, each such Document should be
identified as completely as possible, including as to each such Document, its date, general nature (e.g.,
letter, memorandum, telegram, telex, photograph, computer printout), subject matter, each author or
originator, each person indicated as an addressee or copy recipient, and its former custodian(s). In
addition, as to each such Document, the following information shall be supplied:
(a) date of disposal, loss, or destruction;
(b) manner of disposal, loss, or destruction;
(c) reason for disposal or destruction, or any explanation of loss;
(d) persons authorizing the disposal or destruction;
(e) persons having knowledge of the disposal, destruction, or loss; and
(f) persons who destroyed, lost, or disposed or the Document or Thing.
I look forward to hearing from you in writing within five working days, as required by the Act 5 ILCS
140(3). Please direct all questions or responses to this FOIA request to this email address by responding
to this email. I can be reached at [email protected]
Thanks,
Tracy Siska
Executive Director