Previously, the Chicago Police Department provided a data API (application programming interface) which allowed academics, journalists, and other researchers to easily access official data on arrests made by the Department. Access to this information is critical to reviewing police behavior and ensuring the integrity of our criminal justice system.

On 18 June, 2020 this API was shut down without prior notification. Notably, this  action came after Chicago Reporter journalists used API data to uncover discrepancies in official Chicago Police statements. When Chicago Reporter journalists Asraa Mustufa and David Eads inquired about the reason for the shutdown, Assistant Director of Communications Luis Agostini emailed the following written statement:

"We looked into this and confirmed with our IT Department that API was a tool that was previously available at one point, but has been discontinued / turned off. The API Access site is stagnant and not being monitored and should have been pulled down once the tool was no longer publicly accessible, and as a result, requests for access were not being reviewed.” 

Shutting down the arrest API complicates work for journalists and researchers. It forces them to use other systems that limit data pulls to small ranges of time and make it difficult to analyze large scale trends. It also forces them to utilize Freedom of Information Act requests, which can be denied for being "unduly burdensome."

Mayor Lightfoot promised "radical transparency" and "good governance." Radical transparency means providing data to the public in ways that are most useful for citizen participation.

We ask her to honor her election promise by restoring access to this tool. We also ask that she work with the Chicago City Council to codify access to this tool for generations of Chicagoans to come.

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This petition is entirely based on research by the hardworking journalists at the Chicago Reporter. Please consider supporting their work.