Chicago alderpersons are bracing for a high-stakes fight Monday over whether the city’s police watchdog should get sweeping new power to go after officers tied to extremist or anti-government groups. A proposed ordinance in front of a City Council committee would let the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA, investigate Chicago police officers accused of actively participating in such organizations. The measure targets conduct like recruiting, fundraising, attending meetings, posting material online and "knowingly displaying paraphernalia," and it could result in discipline or firing if investigators find a preponderance of evidence. Supporters say this is a fix for botched internal probes, while critics warn it could trip over First Amendment and due-process protections.
What the ordinance would do
The substitute ordinance would add Section 2-84-530 to the municipal code and spell out what counts as "active participation" in extremist or anti-government organizations. That list includes paying dues, attending meetings, recruiting others and posting online, and it explicitly bans providing material support or displaying group paraphernalia, according to the ordinance text. Ald. Matt Martin, who is sponsoring the measure, has said it took more than a year of drafting and 17 revisions to get to this version. WTTW News reports that the City Council's Workforce Development Committee will take it up Monday, and a full City Council vote could come as soon as April 15.
Why supporters say it’s needed
In July 2024, the city’s inspector general blasted Chicago’s handling of allegations linking officers to groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers as "deficient" and urged a task force and a whole-of-government response, according to the Office of Inspector General. Reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times and others detailed internal investigations where officials interviewed only the accused officers and then imposed little or no discipline. For advocates, that track record is Exhibit A in the case for stronger outside oversight.
Enforcement, legal limits and protections
Under the proposal, COPA’s chief administrator would have 120 days to issue detailed rules for how these cases will be investigated. The ordinance also directs the Office of Public Safety Administration to screen police applicants for extremist ties and requires that any disciplinary recommendation be consistent with constitutional rights and collective-bargaining agreements, per the ordinance text. The measure carves out protections for purely protected speech and for conduct that occurred in the past, language that supporters argue is designed to help the city survive legal challenges while focusing enforcement on material support and advocacy of violence.
Next steps and political stakes
The Workforce Development Committee is scheduled to meet Monday at 10:30 a.m. to debate the proposal, and the City Council could take it up at its next regular meeting on April 15, according to WTTW News and the Office of the City Clerk. If the ordinance passes, investigations into current officers would shift from the Chicago Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs to COPA, and new rules and background checks would be put in place for future applicants. Those changes are widely expected to spark bargaining and legal fights as the measure moves through the council process.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration created a working group to study extremism in the Chicago Police Department, but advocates and watchdogs say they have seen little public progress so far, according to WBEZ. Community and civil-rights groups have largely welcomed tougher outside oversight, while union allies are warning about the risk of an overly broad dragnet. Both sides are expected to pack City Hall when the committee opens debate.
