Two police officers involved in Laquan McDonald shooting have been promoted

Two Chicago police officers who were involved in the investigation of the shooting of Laquan McDonald have reportedly been promoted, prompting many in the community to question the decision-making of the department.

TheGrio Staff

Dec 20, 2015

Former Deputy Chief of Patrol Dave McNaughton, who was the highest ranking officer the night of the shooting, was promoted to Deputy Chief of Support Services. Additionally, Officer Eugene Roy, who was the “Detectives Commander of the Area handling the investigation,” has also received a promotion, becoming the Chief of Detectives.

While neither officer has been found guilty of any wrongdoing in the matter of the Laquan McDonald shooting, many in the community have questioned whether or not it is wise to give promotions to two officers involved in the incident when the shocking video, released only last month, is still so fresh in the minds of the public.

“I think that it sends exactly the wrong message to the people of the city of Chicago, once again as this entire case has from the beginning to the present,” said Flint Taylor, a longtime civil rights attorney.

Since the release of the video, the relationship between the citizens of Chicago and the police force has steadily deteriorated.

“The reality is, we’re kind of past the point of cosmetics here,” Ed Yohnka, director of communications and public policy at the ACLU of Illinois, told Mic. “There’s been this fundamental breakdown in terms of trust … [and] it’s systemic.”