Ending Incommunicado Detention

FDLA advocates for the rights of every Chicagoan, and our genesis stemmed from the idea that every detainee has the right of in-house police station legal defense.

For over 20 years, FDLA’s hotline sent volunteer lawyers, 24/7/365, to police stations for anyone being currently detained by the Chicago Police. When this practice was eventually adopted by the Public Defender’s Office with a new 24-hour “Police Station Unit” that sends out public defenders to police stations, FDLA’s advocacy turned to the next barrier— ending incommunicado detention which prevented detainees from even being able to use a phone call to contact a public defender.

Beginning in July, all detainees will have access to three phone calls within three hours of arrest. With the new “3-in-3” rule passed and beginning practice in July 2021, FDLA, along with many other local leaders, organizations, and advocates, has won the fight against incommunicado detention.