Politics
2 Months After Mayor Johnson Formed Task Force to Rid CPD of Extremist Groups, No Public Sign of Progress
Two months after Mayor Brandon Johnson formed a task force to examine how to rid the Chicago Police Department of officers with ties to extremist and anti-government groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, the effort has yet to show any sign of public progress.
Johnson launched the effort in February, nearly eight months after Inspector General Deborah Witzburg urged him to take that step as part of an effort to “implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to preventing, identifying and eliminating extremist and anti-government activities and associations within CPD.”
“I’m committed to ensuring that every single city employee represents the values of working people, whether they are a police officer or a teacher or anyone who works in our administration, they have to uphold those principles,” Johnson said at a City Hall news conference Tuesday in his first public remarks about the task force.
There are no public allegations that city workers in any other department other than CPD have documented ties to anti-government or extremist groups.
Led by Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood and Chief Equity Officer Carla Kupe, the task force was charged by the mayor with examining “the city’s existing policies and making appropriate recommendations to root out anyone who belongs to a hate group,” according to the mayor’s office.
The task force has met twice, with its third meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Gatewood said Tuesday, alongside the mayor. Another four meetings are planned, with a goal of crafting a proposal by the end of the summer, Gatewood added.
The task force also includes representatives from CPD, the Law Department, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, the Office of Public Safety Administration, the Department of Human Resources and the mayor’s office, officials said.
Witzburg’s recommendation, made in July, after the third investigation of CPD members with ties to right-wing extremist groups since 2022 ended without any of the officers being disciplined, urged the task force “to make regular public reports on its activities.”
Witzburg told WTTW News she had not been informed of any activity by the task force.
Johnson said Tuesday it was “fair” to question whether the task force’s operations have been as transparent as they should be.
“We’re going to use every single means to ensure that people in Chicago know that those who work for this city, not just in our police department, share their values,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s office did not announce the formation of the task force publicly and only acknowledged it after the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression scheduled a town hall meeting to detail plans for the new task force.
Faayani Aboma, an organizer with the organization known as CAARPR, said its leaders had not gotten any updates from the mayor’s office about the activities of the task force.
By comparison, Johnson announced on Monday he had formed a working group to craft solutions to the city’s budget crisis by publicly signing an executive order in front of a dozen cameras and reporters in his ceremonial office.
A policy approved in November 2023 by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability bans officers from belonging to “biased organizations” or engaging in “active participation” with them, which is defined as recruiting new members, fundraising, organizing events or promoting them on social media.
Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward), the chair of the City Council’s Ethics and Government Oversight Committee, said he is still gathering feedback and support for an ordinance crafted that would allow officials to terminate city employees, including police officers, who support “the overthrow of any local, state or federal government by violence or other unlawful means.”
The measure defines active participation in an extremist organization as paying dues, attending meetings, recruiting others or posting and sharing content online that promotes extremist activities.
Martin introduced that measure to the City Council two days before Johnson announced the formation of the task force.
“It is surprising that we haven’t had any engagement from the mayor’s office on this issue,” said Martin, who learned of the mayor’s decision to form the task force from the news media.
“We need clear deliverables for every task force,” Martin said. “We have no timeline, and no idea what the product will eventually be. That’s not how this should work.”
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
