Chicago’s Street Gangs Infiltrate Police Ranks

Some of the city’s most notorious street gangs are infiltrating the Police Department here, and officials can’t do much about it.

Until gang members in blue break a law, they are protected by their union contract and the right to associate with whomever they please, officials said.

In the last three years, at least 15 police officers have been charged with crimes, forced to resign or investigated for membership in a street gang, the Chicago Sun-Times said in its Sunday editions. Seven officers in one police district are under investigation for gang ties, the newspaper reported.

“We can’t deny we have individuals who are members, fraternize or associate with street gangs,” said Police Supt. Matt Rodriguez. “Why would they not do the same things organized crime always did, such as infiltrate the police? If the mob bought judges, politicians and policemen, why do we think the gangs can’t do it?”

Rodriguez has established a corruption hot line for officers to report police gang members. But union rules and constitutional protections make it difficult to fire gang-affiliated officers unless they are caught committing a crime, he said.

However, some officers have been blatant about their gang links in recent years. Reginald Lee, a former officer, is in prison for attempting to sell two pounds of cocaine to undercover detectives last year. Lee, 34, told investigators he was a member of the Gangster Disciples, one of the area’s most prominent gangs, and would always be one. Last month, Officer Sonia Irwin, 41, resigned after being accused of taking part in a Gangster Disciple drug conspiracy.

Police are also investigating officers’ ties to gangs known as the Latin Kings and the Latin Lovers.