By Joanna Putman
Police1
CHICAGO — A new policy spells out which hate and extremist groups police officers cannot be involved in without discipline, the Chicago Star-Tribune reported.
“Given the seriousness and urgency of this issue, we feel it’s important we vote on this policy today,” Commissioner Remel Terry said in the council meeting. “We will continue our work to ensure that the Chicago Police Department effectively implements this policy, monitors the implementation and provides regular reporting on the outcome.”
The latest policy aims to offer the most detailed instructions to date on which organizations police officers should avoid to prevent disciplinary measures.
The policy, approved by the city’s civilian oversight board, defines hate groups as organizations “that use force to deny others’ rights, achieve ideological goals or advocate for ‘systemic illegal prejudice, oppression or discrimination,’” according to the report. The policy also prohibits membership in organizations that “seek to overthrow, destroy, or alter the form of government of the United States by constitutional means.”
The police department’s counterterrorism bureau will develop a list of all such organizations that will not be made available to the public, according to the report.
The Chicago Police Department now has 60 days to respond to the policy before it goes into effect.