Johnson faces pressure to remove extremists from CPD

CHICAGO - Mayor Brandon Johnson is facing mounting pressure to fulfill his campaign promise to remove extremists from the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

The national civil rights organization, Color of Change, along with a coalition of activist groups and elected officials, sent a letter to the mayor, urging him to fire CPD officers who are tied to hate and extremist groups.

Johnson was asked about the topic after Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"Look, I've had this conversation with Supt. Snelling about identifying individuals who do not live up to our values and our standards. He has a very, I believe, extensive process that looks into the characterization of the accused or those who have demonstrated that they don't possess the values of our city," said Johnson.

Last year, an investigation by WBEZ and the Sun-Times named officers who were listed as members of the far-right anti-government group, The Oath Keepers, which was involved in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

None of them faced discipline following an internal CPD investigation that was closed in the spring.