By Gary Barlow

Staff writer

A debate Jan. 10 between the six Democrats and one Republican vying to succeed retiring Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine sparked heated exchanges over public corruption, police shootings, racial issues and budgetary needs.

The debate, held at Kennedy-King College and sponsored by the Chicago Bar Association and WYCC-20, did not touch specifically on GLBT issues but did lead to disagreements on whether or not the office aggressively pursues cases in which Chicago police face allegations of abuse.

“I believe it is time for a change,” said Ald. Howard Brookins Jr. (21st). “There has to be a strong signal sent from the top that nobody will be treated as though they’re above or below the law.”

Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (13th) also emphasized that he believes the office need to be overhauled.

“The status quo has to be broken,” he said. “We need change in this office.”

The other candidates—Ald. Tom Allen (30th), career prosecutor Anita Alvarez, Tommy Brewer, career prosecutor Richard Milan and Republican Cook County Comm. Tony Peraica (16th)—all agreed that some changes are needed in the office but disagreed on the scope of such changes.

The office is the second largest local prosecutorial department in the country, with an annual budget of about $170 million. With the ongoing Cook County budget squeeze, some have raised fears that prosecutors would have to be laid off, further endangering the office’s ability to handle an already heavy caseload.

But Peraica, Allen and Suffredin said the office could be more efficient.

“We need to take the politics out of hiring and administration, and there will be plenty of money,” Peraica said.

Allen emphasized going after more federal and state funds, which make up more than $70 million of the office’s budget.

“We need to be more creative,” he said.

Milan and Alvarez touted their experience as prosecutors.

“I have a passion for this work,” Alvarez said. “This is a special office. It needs an experienced prosecutor and that’s what I am.”

She and Milan faced tough questions, though, about the office’s record on prosecuting police misconduct and public corruption. WVON’s Cliff Kelley, one of four journalists who questioned the candidates, had several heated exchanges with Milan on issues such as diversity in the office’s hiring practices, police shootings and whether or not prosecutors are more likely to pursue cases against black defendants.

Milan, who won Devine’s endorsement Jan. 13, strongly defended Chicago police and the office’s assistant state’s attorneys.

“When a cop gets up in the morning and goes to work, the last thing he wants to do that day is fire his weapon,” Milan said, adding in his closing remarks, “Tonight we’ve been painted as racists in this office, and I assure you we are not.”

But even Peraica joined in the criticism.

“I don’t believe that minorities and members of ethnic communities are treated fairly and equally,” he said.

Most of the candidates said the office should hire more black and Hispanic lawyers.

“It’s time we change the way justice looks in this county,” Brookins said.

Suffredin said he would look to recruit minority lawyers not just for starting positions but for supervisory positions as well, while Alvarez noted that she would be the first Hispanic and first woman to lead the office.

The six Democrats oppose each other in the Feb. 5 primary, with the winner facing Peraica in November.