FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:

Monday,January4,2016

CONTACT:
LarryMerritt
larry.merritt@iprachicago.org
3127460147

ACTINGCHIEFADMINISTRATORFAIRLEYANNOUNCESRESTRUCTURINGOFINDEPENDENT
POLICEREVIEWAUTHORITYLEADERSHIPANDSTAFF
DecisiveActiontoTransformIPRAStaffingPartofOverallMissiontoImproveQualityofInvestigations
andRebuildCommunityTrust

ActingChiefAdministratorSharonFairleyannouncedtodaykeyrestructuringoftheIndependent
PoliceReviewAuthority(IPRA)seniorleadershipteamaswellasimportantexpansionstothe
legalfunctionsoftheAgencyandcommunityoutreachteam.WhileActingChiefAdministrator
FairleycontinuestoreviewallaspectsofIPRA,shehasalreadyidentifiedimmediatepersonnel
changesthatcanbemadetoreinforceIPRAsmissionofconductingtimely,thoroughandquality
investigationsthatreachtrustworthyconclusionsonpolicemisconductandofficerinvolved
shootings.

Sincemyappointment,IvebeenexaminingeveryfacetoftheAgencytoensurewearefulfilling
ourmissionandtakingstepstorebuildChicagoanstrustinIPRAanditsfindings,saidActingChief
AdministratorFairley.ThisinitialstaffrestructuringandchangestoIPRAslegalandcommunity
outreachteamsarejustthebeginningofimprovementsthatIintendtomake.

AspartofherinitialimprovementstotheAgency,ActingChiefAdministratorFairleyis
restructuringtheAgencyschainofcommandtobringonstrongleaderswhoprovidefresh
investigativeandadministrativeperspectivetoIPRAcoupledwithknowledgeandexpertisethat
willaidIPRAinfulfillingitsmission.Theleadershipchangesinclude:
HiringanewChiefofStaff,AnnetteMoore;
HiringanewChiefInvestigator,JayWestensee,and
WorkingtohireanewFirstDeputyandGeneralCounsel.

ActingChiefAdministratorFairleyisalsobuildingoutIPRAsLegalfunctionwithadditional
personnel.Byaddingmorelegalpersonnel,IPRAwillnowhavelegaloversightoftheinvestigative
processfromstarttofinish,aidinginlegalissuesbeingidentifiedandresolvedastheyarise.The
additionallegalstaffincludes:
RecruitinganewGeneralCounsel,
Addingtwonewlegalpositions,SupervisingAttorneyandAttorney,and
FillingacurrentlyvacantAttorneyrole.

Lastly,increasingIPRAsoutreachwiththecommunityiscentraltoActingChiefAdministrator
FairleysgoalofensuringamoreproductivedialoguebetweenthecommunityandtheAgencygoing
forward.Inthecomingweeks,IPRAwillestablishadedicatedcommunityoutreachteamtoprovide
moredirectsupportandcommunicationwithcomplainants,witnessesandthecommunityasa
whole.Thissupportwillincludeaddressinganycommunityissuesandconcerns,communicating
withcomplainantsandtheirfamilies,andinformingChicagoansofhowIPRAsinvestigativeprocess
works.

SharonFairleywasappointedasactingChiefAdministratorofIPRAbyMayorRahmEmanuelon
December6,2015.ThispersonnelrestructuringfollowsactionbytheActingChiefAdministrator
daysafterherappointmenttoreopentheColemaninvestigationandrefertheMcDonald
administrativeinvestigationtotheOfficeoftheInspectorGeneral.First,IPRAturnedthe
administrativeinvestigationoftheLaquanMcDonaldincident,includinganywrittenorother
statementsmadebyofficersandthoseinvolved,overtotheCityofChicagoOfficeoftheInspector
General.Secondly,ActingChiefAdministratorFairleyreopenedtheIPRAinvestigationsurrounding
thetreatmentofPhillipColemanwhileinpolicecustodytodetermineiftheofficersactionsare
withindepartmentguidelinesand,ifso,whetherpolicychangesareneededtoavoidasimilar
incidentinthefuture.

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BriefBiographiesofNewIPRASeniorLeaders
AnnetteMoore,ChiefofStaff:Ms.MoorejoinstheIndependentPoliceReviewAuthority
fromtheUniversityofChicagoLawSchool,wheresheservesasAssociateDirectorof
Admissions.AtUChicago,shewasinstrumentalinspearheadingdiversityoutreachefforts
andprogramming.PriortoworkingforUChicago,shespentsevenyearsintheChicago
officeofSidleyAustinLLPasanassociateintheglobalfinancegroup.AtSidley,shealsoco
chairedthefirmsAssociateDiversityCouncil.Ms.MoorehasBachelorsofArtsfromEmory
UniversityandaJurisDoctordegreefromtheUniversityofChicagoLawSchool.
JayWestensee,ChiefInvestigator:Mr.WestenseewilljointheIndependentPolice
ReviewAuthorityinmidJanuaryastheChiefInvestigator.HecurrentlyservesasaChief
InvestigatorwiththeCityofChicagoOfficeofInspectorGeneral(OIG),andhehasbeen
withtheOIGsinceJune2005.Mr.WestenseehasaBachelorofScienceinJusticeSystems
fromTrumanStateUniversityandaMasterofArtsdegreeinLawEnforcementandJustice
AdministrationfromWesternIllinoisUniversity.HealsohashisJurisDoctordegreefrom
TheJohnMarshallLawSchool.