Mayor Emanuel refuses to weigh in on discipline for cops in salon video

Mayor Emanuel refuses to weigh in on discipline for cops in salon video

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is refusing to discuss a 25-day suspension being recommended for a cop caught on video yelling racist comments.

“Well the review process is not done, so I’m not going to weigh in,” Emanuel said at a press conference Wednesday. “Once IPRA made its recommendations that process of analysis as well as, shall we say, what type of punishment, if any should be done, is not finished and when that’s done I’ll comment on that.”

RELATED: Three police officers in Asian salon raid recommended for suspension

In the videotaped arrest of Jessica Klyzek, an Asian American woman working at a tanning salon raided by police in July 2013, Detective Gerald Di Pasquale yelled at Klyzek, “You’re not f***ing American. I’ll put you in a UPS box and send you back to wherever the f*** you came from.”

Di Pasquale also threatens to shut down the tanning salon where Klyzek worked and said, “Then whoever owns it, will f***ing kill you because they don’t care about you, OK! I’ll take this building. You’ll be dead and your family will be dead.”

Another officer, Frank Messina, struck Klyzek on the head while she was handcuffed and on her knees, according to the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates allegations of police misconduct. IPRA is recommending a 25-day suspension for Di Pasquale and an 8-day suspension for Messina.

Asian-American community members are calling on Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to fire the officers.