On May 5, 2015, the Chicago City Council passed the Reparations for Burge Torture Victims Ordinance and accompanying resolution that included:
- A formal apology from the Mayor and City Council for the torture committed by Burge and his men;
- A history curriculum on the Burge torture cases to be taught to all Chicago Public School students in the 8th and 10th grade;
- A permanent public memorial acknowledging the torture committed by Burge and his men;
- Provision of counseling services to police torture survivors and family members at a facility on the South Side of Chicago;
- Free tuition at Chicago’s City Colleges for Burge torture survivors, their family members, including their grandchildren;
- Job placement for Burge torture survivors in programs for formerly incarcerated people;
- Priority access to City of Chicago’s re-entry support services, including: job training and placement, counseling, food, & transportation assistance, senior care, health care, and small business support services;
- The creation of a Reparations fund of $5.5 million to provide up to $100,000 to the eligible Burge torture survivors who are still with us today. 57 men were given these funds.
The passage of this legislation marks the first time in U.S. history that a city has passed legislation providing reparations, including financial compensation, for police violence.