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Investigative series

Extremism in the Ranks

Extremism in the Ranks

An investigation by the Sun-Times, WBEZ and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project that looks into the records of Chicago cops on a leaked roster of an anti-government group and the efforts to hold those officers accountable.

Investigation

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.

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Extremism in the Ranks
Who are they?
At least 27 Chicago police officials appeared in leaked rosters for the Oath Keepers, an anti-government extremist group. At least nine are still with the department.
READ PART ONE
Officer shoulders-oath keepers investigation
Extremism in the Ranks
Still on the force
A new civilian oversight panel is working with Chicago police on a policy that would bar officers from joining hate and extremist groups.
READ PART TWO
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Extremism in the Ranks
Lives changed
The Oath Keepers’ membership rolls included an Illinois state trooper, a campus cop for the University of Illinois Chicago and an officer in a village known as “America’s First Black Town.”
READ PART THREE
Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Extremism in the Ranks
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 years ago with the anti-government Oath Keepers, which played a key role in the riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.
By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ and Tom Schuba
 
Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Extremism in the Ranks
How we investigated cops who joined extremist and hate groups
We wanted to find out what records these officers are leaving. And we wanted to hear from civilians about their own experiences with these sworn law-enforcement officers on the streets of Chicago and in other parts of Illinois.
By Tom Schuba and Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ
 
Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Extremism in the Ranks
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.
By Tom Schuba and Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ
 
Remel Terry, a member of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, said her panel would monitor the Chicago Police Department’s compliance with the policy it approved Monday.
Extremism in the Ranks
Policy barring Chicago cops from joining hate groups OK’d by civilian oversight panel
The policy was approved Monday after Chicago police investigated but took little action against cops with connections to far-right groups including the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and Three Percenters.
By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ and Tom Schuba
 
A man wearing an Oath Keepers Illinois shirt stands outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, Nov. 19, 2021 in Kenosha, Wis. There are 27 current and former Chicago police officers whose names appeared in leaked membership records for the far-right extremist group,
Editorials
There’s no place for Oath Keepers and other far-right extremists among Chicago police
Without the three-part investigation ‘Extremism in the Ranks,” how long would the problem of Oath Keepers and other extremists in the Chicago Police Department have been left to fester?
By CST Editorial Board
 
Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump breach the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. At least 27 current and former Chicago police officials appeared in leaked rosters for the Oath Keepers, an anti-government group that played a central role in the riot. 
Letters to the Editor
Cops with ties to Oath Keepers are a ticking time bomb for Chicago
Police with extremist ties are a clear and present danger to normal society and responsible law enforcement, a Hyde Park letter writer says.
By Letters to the Editor
 
Stephenson County Sheriff Steve Stovall (left) is defending Chief Deputy Sheriff Andrew Schroeder (right), who joined the Oath Keepers in 2010. 
Extremism in the Ranks
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 that he is an “exemplary” cop. Other officials in the county remain concerned.
By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ
 
A small handful of people attend a Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability meeting at Malcolm X College on Thursday.
Extremism in the Ranks
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 out” of the department.
By Kade Heather
 
Black and white image of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Extremism in the Ranks
Chicago police oversight panel to push new outside investigation into cops with extremist ties
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will vote Thursday on asking the city’s inspector general to investigate cops named on an Oath Keepers list.
By Tom Schuba and Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ
 
Black and white image of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Extremism in the Ranks
Chicago’s top cop vows ‘stringent’ efforts to root out officers with extremist ties after investigation by WBEZ, Sun-Times
Supt. Larry Snelling and other brass did not explain the department’s lack of action since a membership list was leaked two years ago.
By Tom Schuba and Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ
 
Chicago Police Officer Robert Bakker was suspended for 120 days after a lengthy investigation into his ties to the far right Proud Boys.
News
Chicago Police Department investigating officer’s alleged ties to the Proud Boys
Leaked chat logs appear to show Officer Robert Bakker communicating and organizing meetups last summer with members of the Proud Boys, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
By Tom Schuba and David Struett
 
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The Watchdogs
For 2nd time in a week, Chicago Police Department under fire over handling of a cop accused of belonging to extremist group
The city’s inspector general on Friday questioned the thoroughness of an internal investigation into the officer after it was reported he was a member of the Oath Keepers.
By Dan Mihalopoulos | WBEZ and Tom Schuba
 
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News
‘It’s a joke!’ City Council members grill Chicago police officials about extremists in their ranks
Chicago City Council members repeatedly expressed frustration Wednesday as police officials gave conflicting, sometimes puzzling reasons why they have not moved more aggressively against officers tied to far-right groups implicated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
By Tom Schuba
 
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News
CPD suspends cop tied to Proud Boys, launches probe into sex abuse claim
Officer Robert Bakker has been the subject of four internal investigations that were all opened last year, according to records obtained by the Sun-Times.
By Tom Schuba
 
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown speaks during a news conference at CPD headquarters in June.
City Hall
Top cop defends 120-day suspension for officer accused of fraternizing with Proud Boys, not telling brass
CPD Supt. David Brown said CPD has “zero tolerance” for sworn officers joining or associating with hate groups. But given what can be proved, he said, a 120-day suspension is as far as he legally can go.
By Fran Spielman
 
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Chicago
How groups tied to white nationalists are targeting Chicago and Kim Foxx
“The injection of white nationalists in this conversation, for me, I will tell you personally, I was afraid,” State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said.
By Tom Schuba and Matthew Hendrickson