A civilian-led police oversight panel, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA), approved on November 13th, 2023, a policy barring Chicago police officers from active participation in hate and extremist groups. This development arises after the Chicago Police Department's (CPD) incomplete action against officers linked to such groups, including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and Three Percenters as noted by WBEZ.
Also, the Office of the Inspector General, led by Deborah Witzburg, acknowledged the CCPSA's request to probe allegations of officer involvement with extremist or hate-based organizations reports the Chicago Sun-Times. This action responds to an inquiry by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, WBEZ, and the Chicago Sun-Times that unearthed the involvement of dozens of active and former Chicago police officers with the Oath Keepers.
The newly approved policy aims to provide the clearest guidelines yet on what groups officers should avoid to avoid disciplinary action. "We are working relentlessly to ensure effective policy implementation, monitoring, and regular reporting on the outcome," says Remel Terry, the CCPSA Commissioner. This policy broadens censures against joining "criminal organizations," also barring membership in groups endorsing the use of force to deny rights, promote ideological goals, or advocate for systematic illegal prejudice, oppression, or discrimination as per WBEZ.
Among the most distinguishable features of the policy is banning membership in groups aimed at altering the form of the U.S. government by unconstitutional means. This list of prohibited organizations will be identified by the PD's counterterrorism bureau but as indicated by the Chicago Sun-Times, will not be publicly disclosed.
The CCPSA has collaborated with the police department for over 10 months to create this policy. The policy, however, is subject to Mayor Brandon Johnson's veto and the department's response within 60 days. The mayor has pledged to dismiss officers associated with radical right-wing groups such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. An investigation by WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times revealed the ties of 27 current and former Chicago police officers to the anti-government Oath Keepers, including nine on active duty.
Inspector General Witzburg urged the Bureau of Internal Affairs to reopen three separate investigations dealing with these extremist alliances. Witzburg posits that existing regulations allow the Mayor to follow through on his campaign promise of firing officers in these factions, according to broad rules that disallow officers from derailing the department's objectives or causing disrepute. The department is to conclude an internal probe in "less than six months," WBEZ states.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling reassured City Council members about the stringent efforts to root out extremists, a challenge considering history. For instance, an investigation in November 2021 after a group of Chicago police officers was seen on the leaked roster of the Oath Keepers, a far-right group implicated in the Capitol insurrection, did not cover all the officers allegedly involved, notes WBEZ. Despite the Anti-Defamation League alerting in August 2022 about eight Chicago police officers' names on the leaked lists, the investigation was not extended, and no disciplinary action was undertaken, while the treatment of Officer Robert Bakker, who denied his affiliation with the Proud Boys but later conceded and received a 120-day suspension, spurred calls for his dismissal as per the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago's new policy barring police officers from joining hate and extremist groups signifies an essential step towards curtailing extremist involvement within the city's law enforcement. However, the efficacy of the policy will depend on the dedication, transparency, and vigilance shown by the police department and city's leadership in facing this challenge.
