A Black Chicago police officer filed a lawsuit this week alleging he was known as the N-word and despatched a bigoted cartoon by fellow officers within the Harrison District on the West Aspect.
Officer Anthony Banks claims the racist onslaught got here after he responded to a heated change involving one other officer and a pregnant lady on March 17. Banks ultimately stepped in and tried to deescalate when the opposite officer ran into the lady, in response to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court docket in opposition to town and a bunch of cops.
Again on the district station later that day, the opposite officer pressed Banks about his conduct, the lawsuit says. Different officers then surrounded Banks and allegedly made a collection of racially charged remarks, calling him the N-word and telling him to return to his outdated put up within the Grand Crossing District, which the go well with says “is understood for having predominantly African-American officers.”
“Return to the place you got here from,” one officer allegedly mentioned.
Two sergeants intervened, and Banks reported the abuse to Lt. Nari Haro, the highest-ranking division member named as a defendant. Banks later detailed the alleged abuse in a confidential memo that was then leaked on-line, the go well with says.
On March 18, Banks bought an e-mail with a racist cartoon on his work-issued cellphone, the go well with says. The picture, included within the criticism, consists of the N-word and a caricature of a Black man with a gun in his mouth, apparently making an attempt suicide.
The lawsuit alleges the e-mail was despatched by one of many officers who surrounded Banks on the station.
Banks had been assigned to the Harrison District tactical crew, which has come beneath fireplace for making improper site visitors stops. Different members of the crew performed the cease final 12 months that led to a shootout that wounded an officer and left Dexter Reed lifeless.
Banks is now on medical depart resulting from emotional misery and worry for his security at work, the go well with says.
“To say that my shopper is upset is an understatement,” mentioned Banks’ legal professional, Blake Horwitz. “And the central focus of this lawsuit is that town of Chicago clearly has lots of work to do.”
Within the go well with, Banks alleges the officers who surrounded him on the station detained him with out possible trigger or lawful authority, violating his Fourth Modification rights. He additionally alleges that Lt. Naro and fellow officers disadvantaged him of equal safety by subjecting him to “racially motivated harassment, retaliation, and the unauthorized dissemination of confidential data.”
As his employer, town failed to guard Banks from a hostile work setting and discrimination, the lawsuit alleges.
A police spokesperson wouldn’t touch upon the pending litigation. A spokesperson for town’s Regulation Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Horwitz mentioned different Black officers know racism is enmeshed within the division’s tradition, however they’re afraid to talk up as a result of they don’t wish to lose their pension or be retaliated in opposition to.
“They’re conscious it’s occurring,” Horwitz mentioned.
