CHICAGO (AP) — An oversight agency for the Chicago Police Department has cited a veteran officer for more than 60 rule violations, including posting insensitive racial and religious comments on Facebook.
A 95-page report obtained by the Chicago Tribune shows that the Civilian Office of Police Accountability sustained 62 allegations against Officer Brian J. Hansen of violating numerous department rules and regulations.
The report says most of the allegations involved Facebook comments Hansen posted between 2015 and 2017. The agency says the police department’s general order prohibits officers from using social media to post content that’s “disparaging to a person or group based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected class.”
The agency says Hansen argued that his off-duty comments were protected by the First Amendment.
Neither Hansen nor his attorney returned the newspaper’s phone calls seeking comment.
