A Harvey alderwoman has been charged with misdemeanor offenses after being forcibly removed by police during Monday’s City Council meeting, according to the city.
It was the latest skirmish involving 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman, charged last year after a dispute with the city’s administrator, although the matter appears not to have advanced in court.
Chapman did not respond to messages seeking comment on the latest arrest. She has previously said her vocal criticism of city affairs under Mayor Christopher Clark had resulted in retailiation by the mayor.
An attorney who had represented the alderwoman in the most recent case said he no longer represented her.
Chapman was arrested Monday and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a peace officer, according to the statement provided to the Daily Southtown by Harvey spokesman Glenn Harston.
The statement said Chapman was removed, at Clark’s direction, from Monday’s meeting “after repeatedly disrupting the meeting proceedings.”
The mayor ordered her removal “to maintain safety and order of the meeting to ensure the business of the city was going forth,” according to the statement.
The statement said that, according to an incident report filed by Harvey police, Chapman had disrupted the meeting “by yelling at the Chairperson and refused officers’ instructions to leave.”
The statement said that despite “multiple attempts by officers to escort her out, Alderwoman Chapman resisted removal and was subsequently placed under arrest after a brief physical struggle. She was transported to the Harvey Police Department for processing.”
In a video shot by Ryan Sinwelski, of the Harvey Historical Society, and shared on Chapman’s aldermanic Facebook page, Clark is heard ordering police to remove the alderwoman.
A uniformed officer approaches Chapman and appears to try to remove her from her council seat near the mayor, but the alderwoman appears to resist as she gathers up paperwork in front of her.
The audio on the recording is not clear, but at least three police officers direct Chapman toward the glass doors of the council room, but she puts her hands on both sides of the door frame to resist being led out, the video shows.
After the alderwoman and police go out into a lobby area outside the council room, a loud exchange can be heard and, at one point, Clark excuses himself to step out of the council chambers.
Chapman was arrested last October for allegedly filing a false police report related to an August incident with Corean Davis, city administrator.
But details of the matters remained unclear weeks later, with no official records of any charges appearing in court documents.
Harston said Chapman filed the police report after the Aug. 14 meeting, claiming she was “pushed and battered” by Davis. But after Harvey police examined surveillance footage and heard from witnesses, officers determined they disagree with how Chapman described what happened, Harston said at the time of Chapman’s October arrest.
Harston said the Cook County state’s attorney’s office decided not to pursue charges against Chapman. Police Chief Cameron Biddings was quoted in the news release criticizing that decision.