Evanston Mayoral Candidate Wants Independent Inspector General

EVANSTON, IL — Weeks after a dash cam video of excessive use of police force rocked Evanston and made national headlines, alderman and mayoral candidate Brian Miller called for the creation of an Independent Inspector General (IIG) in Evanston’s municipal government at a press conference Thursday.

Miller proposed the following plan to create an effective IIG:

1. A term of office or contract, so as to be free from political influence. Staff would be hired under a set term so that they would be insulated political influence.
2. Investigatory authority. The IIG would be able to subpoena witnesses, documents, etc. to investigate complaints.
3. The IIG would accept complaints from City staff, officials, contractors or the public.
4. Evanston could contract with the Cook County Sheriff to provide IIG services, or band together with other municipalities to co-hire an individual.

Several incidents that motivated Miller to push for an IIG include:

• The release of police dash cam video (after months of pressure) in the unnecessarily aggressive arrest of an African-American Northwestern University Ph.D. student. The student was thought to be stealing a car that he actually owned
• The Evanston City Clerk spending $5,000 of taxpayer money to appear on the "Who's Who?" list and other questionable expenses
• The initial proposal for the sale of the Harley Clarke mansion with no public process and very vocal opposition from residents
• The approval for construction of a patio for the Peckish Pig without bidding or council approval
• The City’s short sale of the Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles that is now closed at a loss of almost $200,000 to taxpayers
• Transparency issues in decisions made with the creation of the Howard Street Theatre