Chicago PD Reckons With Officers With Ties To Extremist Groups

The Chicago Sun-Times has published the second entry in their series ‘Extremism In The Ranks,’ digging into allegations of misconduct, ties into extremism and officer membership in groups like the Oath Keepers among Chicago police. The project is an investigation made in collaboration between the Sun-Times, WBEZ and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). In Monday’s installment, Dan Mihalopoulos, Tom Schuba and Kevin G. Hall report on how the Oath Keepers’ attempts to recruit police officers and servicemen succeeded in Chicago, how the department has responded, and how a civilian oversight group is working to ban officers from joining hate and extremist groups. 

After a roster of Oath Keepers members was leaked and an internal investigation was carried out, police officials determined that membership into organizations like the Oath Keepers “in itself is not a rule violation.” Following reporter inquiries WBEZ and the Sun-Times were told by a police spokesman last week that the department would be opening a new investigation into officers named in an ADL letter about officers named in the leak. The investigation also discusses Mayoral promises on the issues and a number of key policy documents, reports and memos key to understanding the issue. Read it here. The next installment is scheduled for Tuesday, October 24.