Contacts:
Mary Frances O’Connor (312) 821-9026
Robert Herguth (312) 821-9030

November 4, 2013

CHICAGO—The Better Government Association is proud to announce our investigative staff has won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy award for our work with media partner NBC 5. The winning story is Protect and Served?, a Feb. 14, 2013, investigation by the BGA’s Patrick Rehkamp and NBC 5.

Our investigation found police union contracts in Illinois routinely allow officers to come to work with alcohol in their systems. The story (which prompted a follow-up investigation on firefighters with similar union clauses) led Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to propose a change in state law. The BGA/NBC 5 project won in the Hard News category. It was one of three Emmy-nominated stories this year for the BGA.

It’s the second year in a row the BGA has earned Emmy honors. Last year, a report by the BGA and FOX 32’s Dane Placko about a Chicago principal’s lavish travel spending won an Emmy in the Education category.

The BGA appreciates the hard work and dedication of NBC 5’s Phil Rogers, Katy Smyser and Lisa Capitanini who worked with the BGA on this year’s winning project.

The Better Government Association is a Chicago-based non-profit, non-partisan watchdog group that works for integrity, transparency and accountability in government by exposing corruption and inefficiency; identifying and advocating effective public policy; and engaging and mobilizing the electorate to achieve authentic and responsible reform.