Chicago City Council Advances Ban on Police Ties to Extremist Groups

Proposed ordinance aims to root out Chicago cops with links to far-right organizations like Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:03pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting of a police badge or shield in dark blue, gray, and red tones, representing the concept of extremism within law enforcement.A proposed ban on Chicago police officers' involvement with extremist groups seeks to address concerns about the infiltration of anti-government ideology within the city's law enforcement ranks.Chicago Today

A Chicago City Council committee has advanced a measure that would ban Chicago police officers from engaging in 'extremist activities,' defined as any attempt to overthrow the government through violence or unconstitutional means, as well as the planning, execution, or material support of hate crimes. The proposal, introduced by Alderman Matt Martin, comes after a 2024 report from the city's inspector general found the city had 'fallen short' in weeding out extremist cops from the police force. At least a dozen Chicago police officials were previously investigated for alleged ties to the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, extremist groups involved in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Why it matters

This proposed ordinance is a response to growing concerns about the presence of extremist and anti-government views within the Chicago Police Department. The measure aims to hold officers to a higher standard and give investigatory power over such allegations to an independent civilian oversight body, rather than the department's internal affairs unit. The move comes amid a broader national reckoning over the infiltration of law enforcement by far-right extremist groups.

The details

The proposed ordinance would ban Chicago police officers from engaging in 'extremist activities,' defined as any attempt to overthrow the government through violence or unconstitutional means, as well as the planning, execution, or material support of hate crimes. The measure would give investigatory power over such allegations to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, rather than the department's internal affairs unit. An earlier version of the ordinance applied the ban on extremist activity to all city employees, but it was narrowed to avoid potential constitutional challenges.

  • In 2024, a report from Chicago's inspector general found the city had 'fallen short' in weeding out extremist cops from the police force.
  • At least a dozen Chicago police officials were previously investigated for alleged ties to the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, extremist groups involved in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
  • The 17th version of the measure passed the City Council's Workforce Development Committee on April 13, 2026, and is set for a full City Council vote as early as April 15, 2026.

The players

Ald. Matt Martin

The Chicago alderman who introduced the proposed ordinance to ban Chicago police officers from engaging in extremist activities.

Deborah Witzburg

Chicago's inspector general, who issued a 2024 report stating the city had 'fallen short' in weeding out extremist cops from the police force.

Ald. Nick Sposato

A conservative Chicago alderman who supported former President Donald Trump and argued the ordinance should apply to all city employees, not just police.

Ald. Desmon Yancy

A Chicago alderman who expressed exasperation at the argument that it's unjust to apply a higher standard to police officers, who 'have the ability to kill on duty.'

Justin Edge

A city attorney who testified that focusing the ban on extremist activity solely on the Chicago Police Department 'does lower the risk drastically' of constitutional challenges.

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What they’re saying

“I believe that this is the backdrop that we are operating under and requires that cities like Chicago act with clear responsibility.”

— Ald. Matt Martin, Chicago Alderman

“We're singling out police, and once again, we can't stop with the Jan. 6 thing. We don't mention a damn thing about the Black Lives Matters riots.”

— Ald. Nick Sposato, Chicago Alderman

“What are we doing? This shouldn't be that controversial of a conversation to have.”

— Ald. Desmon Yancy, Chicago Alderman

“If we do it citywide, I'm okay with this.”

— Ald. Derrick Curtis, Chicago Alderman

“This is an incredibly difficult area to legislate in and not violate the law. If you focus on CPD only, it does lower the risk drastically.”

— Justin Edge, City Attorney

What’s next

The proposed ordinance is set for a full Chicago City Council vote as early as April 15, 2026. If passed, the measure would give the Civilian Office of Police Accountability investigatory power over allegations of extremist ties among Chicago police officers.

The takeaway

This proposed ordinance represents a significant step in Chicago's efforts to address the presence of extremist and anti-government views within its police force. By empowering an independent civilian oversight body to investigate such allegations, the city aims to hold officers to a higher standard and root out any ties to far-right extremist groups, a growing concern nationwide.