CAIR-Chicago Participates in the Governor’s Racial Profiling Taskforce Planning Meeting

CAIR-Chicago Governmental Relations Coordinator Sadiya Ahmed participated in a series of ongoing meetings for the Governor’s Racial Profiling Taskforce. The general taskforce meeting, on Friday February 10, was held to discuss the recommended changes in current data collection by law enforcement as per the Data Evaluation subcommittee as well as the recommendations of the New Initiatives subcommittee. The taskforce has agreed to recommend to the Governor, the creation of a permanent oversight board made up of law enforcement as well as community organizations. CAIR-Chicago has been named as one of the member organizations that will have a representative on the board. In addition, on the agenda for the oversight board is the issue of creating a separate parameter for people of Middle Eastern origin so data on the racial profiling of Muslims can be collected. The main issue of contention at the last meeting was the permanency of data collection by law enforcement agencies where civil rights organizations are strong proponents and law enforcement agencies are proposing sunset provisions which would expire at the end of three years. The taskforce will hold a public hearing on Saturday, February 18, 2006 at the JR Thompson Center to discuss the issues further in depth.

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