Chicago police with extremist ties have troubling records
An investigation by WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project found allegations of excessive force, improper searches and racist comments on the job.
Investigation
Extremism in the Ranks
An investigation by WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project found allegations of excessive force, improper searches and racist comments on the job.
Months after the Oath Keepers played a major role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a list of about 38,000 people from across the country who had joined the anti-government extremist group emerged publicly. But little was done to investigate the Chicago police officers on those rolls.
The Sun-Times and WBEZ filed more than 200 open-records requests with the Chicago Police Department and other law enforcement agencies across Illinois. Those requests sought the personnel files for dozens of current and retired cops around the state whose names appeared in the leaked list.
In this monthslong investigation, we found troubling allegations against some of these officers and spoke to people who filed official complaints.
This investigation is in partnership with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. The series is also part of the Democracy Solutions Project — a joint effort between WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times and the University of Chicago’s Center for Efffective Government — exploring critical issues facing our democracy.
Featured
![]()
Chicago Police Department tolerates officers with extremist ties
A new civilian oversight panel is working with Chicago police on a policy that would bar officers from joining hate and extremist groups.
![]()
He was a rising football star — then he met this state trooper
A dozen active-duty law enforcement officers from around the state joined the anti-government group Oath Keepers, a new investigation finds.
![]()
Some Chicagoans say they experienced racism from cops on Oath Keepers list
The people who spoke with WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times say the department should rid itself of cops connected to extremist groups.
![]()
A run-in with an Illinois state trooper with extremism ties altered one man’s life
Jyran Mitchell was injured when he was wrongfully detained by an Illinois state trooper with ties to extremism. The officer was one of a dozen outside Chicago whose names appeared on an Oath Keepers …
![]()
27 current and former CPD officers were on a leaked Oath Keepers membership list
Chicago Public Media investigated the officers in question and found many had troubling records.
![]()
Chicago’s top cop wants to root out officers with extremist ties
New Supt. Larry Snelling and other brass did not explain the department’s lack of action since a membership list was leaked two years ago.
![]()
What Chicago police did when the Ku Klux Klan infiltrated its ranks
When Chicago cops joined the KKK 55 years ago, the department moved quickly to fire them.
![]()
How WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times investigated cops with ties to the Oath Keepers
Reporters with WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times filed more than 200 open records requests with the Chicago Police Department and other law enforcement agencies across Illinois.
![]()
Latest
![]()
The UIC campus cop with extremist ties is banned from testifying in Cook County court cases
The officer continued to work for the state university, despite acknowledging he signed up for the anti-government Oath Keepers years ago.
![]()
Chicago cops tied to Oath Keepers barred from testifying in court, Kim Foxx decides
The move by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office comes weeks after WBEZ and the Sun-Times identified officers who appeared on leaked membership rolls for the anti-government group.
![]()
A new policy would ban Chicago police from participating in hate, extremist groups
The policy was approved by a civilian-led oversight panel after CPD investigated but took little action against cops with connections to extremist groups.
![]()
Illinois sheriff says cop signed up for Oath Keepers, but now renounces the extremist group
The Stephenson County sheriff says Chief Deputy Andrew Schroeder’s association with Oath Keepers was “brief” and he is an “exemplary” cop. But other officials in the county remain concerned.
![]()
Police oversight panel asks city watchdog to investigate Chicago Police Department’s ties to extremist groups
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability on Thursday recommended the city’s inspector general investigate officers named on an Oath Keepers list so any extremists can be “rooted …
![]()
A Chicago Police oversight panel may urge a new outside investigation into cops with extremist ties
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will vote Thursday whether to push for the city’s OIG to investigate cops named on an Oath Keepers list.
![]()
A run-in with an Illinois state trooper with extremism ties altered one man’s life
Jyran Mitchell was injured when he was wrongfully detained by an Illinois state trooper with ties to extremism. The officer was one of a dozen outside Chicago whose names appeared on an Oath Keepers …
![]()
He was a rising football star — then he met this state trooper
A dozen active-duty law enforcement officers from around the state joined the anti-government group Oath Keepers, a new investigation finds.
![]()
27 current and former CPD officers were on a leaked Oath Keepers membership list
Chicago Public Media investigated the officers in question and found many had troubling records.
![]()
What Chicago police did when the Ku Klux Klan infiltrated its ranks
When Chicago cops joined the KKK 55 years ago, the department moved quickly to fire them.
