ACLU of Illinois Staff Counsel Adam Schwartz today told a Committee of the Chicago City Council that Chicago "must have an independent and effective system of investigating allegations of police misconduct." The testimony came as the Council's Police and Fire Committee consider a proposal by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to restructure the civilian agency - the Office of Professional Standards - responsible for investigation such allegations of abuse. In addition to addressing the Mayor's plan, the ACLU of Illinois offered suggestions on ways that the City could further improve the civilian oversight of police conduct. The hearing comes after several incidents in which police officers - on duty and off - were captured on videotape engaging in violence against unarmed citizens. You can read Mr. Schwartz's full testimony by going to http://www.aclu-il.org/news/archives/schwartztestimony.pdf.