ACLU: After the DNC protests, the Chicago Police Department faces a real test

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago police received high praise for the way they handled protests during the Democratic National Convention and ensured security in the city.

But a police watchdog group says the police force's real test is yet to come.

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According to Chicago police, officers arrested 74 people during the DNC protests and noted that there were only eight or nine complaints about police conduct.

On Friday, CPD Supervisor Larry Snelling praised his officers for their restraint.

“As a result, there hasn’t been the activity that people expected,” Snelling said.

One of the leaders of the march to the DNC said Tuesday that police should not take a victory lap.

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“Many people from the different organizations, different contingents, the protesters themselves said they felt extremely intimidated by the police standing so close over the protesters,” said Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesman for the Coalition to March on the DNC.

Abudayyeh particularly referred to the police's bicycle chains and riot gear.

The American Civil Liberties Union noted that the police deserve credit for showing a high level of de-escalation and restraint despite the presence of all the guards and cameras.

“How does this work the next time we have a traffic stop? How does this work the next time we have a foot pursuit or a stop-and-resist or a community interaction?” asked Ed Yohnka, communications director for the ACLU of Illinois.

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Protesters were also frustrated by the police and city's efforts for months to restrict their ability to demonstrate and rallies.

The ACLU, part of the Consent Decree coalition, wants Chicago police to act every day as they did during the DNC.

“There shouldn't be a difference just because the whole world is watching. It should look the same on the south side, on the west side, on the north side or downtown, simply because that's how policing should work,” Yohnka said.

While the police's actions during the convention may have helped banish the ghosts of 1968, the police department's long-term reputation in the neighborhoods will likely depend on how well the lessons of the DNC fit into the CPD's DNA.