Chicago Cop Alleges Racial Discrimination in SWAT Application

Officer Julius Givens files federal lawsuit claiming he was denied SWAT team position due to being Black

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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A Chicago Police officer who was previously shot in the line of duty has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, alleging that he was kept from joining the police department's SWAT unit because he is Black. Officer Julius Givens claims the department has a "long-standing and unconstitutional" practice of discriminating against Black officers who apply for specialized units.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about racial disparities and discrimination within the Chicago Police Department, particularly in specialized units like SWAT. Givens' case raises questions about the department's promotions process and whether it is being applied fairly and equitably across all officers.

The details

In his lawsuit, Givens alleges that despite posting some of the highest scores during the SWAT application process, he was still denied a position on the team. He claims the department uses "subjective criteria" to make these decisions, which has "permitted unlawful and unconstitutional discrimination to infect the promotions process." CPD staffing records show the SWAT team is predominantly white, with 50 out of 77 officers being white, 22 Latino, 4 Asian, and only 1 Black.

  • Givens applied to join SWAT in December 2022.
  • Givens was issued a right-to-sue notice by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after filing a discrimination charge.
  • In December 2021, Givens was shot in the leg during a traffic stop incident on the South Side of Chicago.

The players

Officer Julius Givens

A Chicago Police officer who was previously shot in the line of duty and has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, alleging racial discrimination in the department's SWAT team selection process.

Chicago Police Department (CPD)

The law enforcement agency that Givens alleges has a "long-standing and unconstitutional" practice of discriminating against Black officers who apply for specialized units like the SWAT team.

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What they’re saying

“By making final decisions based on subjective criteria, the CPD has permitted unlawful and unconstitutional discrimination to infect the promotions process, which it has done historically and continues to do today.”

— Officer Julius Givens (Federal civil rights lawsuit)

“The disparity between Black and (not-Black) applicants accepted to SWAT is too pervasive to be unintended.”

— Officer Julius Givens (Federal civil rights lawsuit)

What’s next

The first hearing in Givens' federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and CPD has not yet been scheduled.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing concerns about racial discrimination and lack of diversity within specialized units of the Chicago Police Department, raising questions about the fairness and transparency of the department's promotions and staffing processes.