The Cook County State's Attorney's office released an updated search warrant policy Friday, moving to require increased police disclosures when a warrant is executed.
The updated policy requires law enforcement to follow up on if a search warrant was signed off by a judge and eventually executed.
If the warrant is carried out, police will be required to disclose any items seized and arrests made as a result of the search.
According to the policy, officers who are not in compliance within 45 days of the search warrant's approval will be unable to have the Cook County State's Attorney's office review any additional search warrants submitted by the officer until the officer is in compliance.
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Under the policy, law enforcement will have 96 hours, or four days, after the Assistant State's Attorney approves the warrant to execute the search.
Additionally, a new digital database has been created by the Cook County State's Attorney's office that is designed to follow search warrant requests throughout the process, including details on the case, whether it was carried out or not and any items seized or arrests made.
“Going forward to receive our signoff, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office will require law enforcement to submit to increased checks of the information provided to request search warrants and then disclose the outcome of the warrant. The new process will help us better understand if the evidence obtained justified using a search warrant,” Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said in a press release.
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The office also said the review of the search warrant policy began in response to evidence of a search warrant location not being properly vetted, resulting in the raid of an incorrect location.
The updated policy is slated to go into effect on Dec. 16.
