Chicago Cop Alleges Caucasian Ethnicity Damaged Career, Sues City for Right to Change Race

Police investigate the murder of a young man found shot to death in the back seat of a bullet-riddled car in Chicago, Illinois, on June 30, 2017. Scott Olson/Getty Images

A Chicago police officer who claims the color of his skin has prevented him from advancing in his career has sued the city to change his race, citing the police department’s rule that allows officers to freely change their gender to match their identity.

Mohammad Yusuf, 43, a 20-year veteran of the force, said in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed last week that after repeatedly being bypassed for promotions, he is looking to change his race from “Caucasian” to “Egyptian and African American,” the races that he “currently identifies,” according to the complaint. Mr. Yusuf filed the complaint after the Chicago Police Department refused his request.

Mr. Yusuf claimed discrimination, claiming that while he has outperformed many of his African American colleagues on the police force, he has continuously been overlooked for promotions due to the color of his skin, according to the complaint.

“Despite Yusuf’s exemplary qualifications and the purported race-neutral policy of the Merit System, Yusuf has been repeatedly bypassed for promotion in favor of less qualified candidates, based on their race, specifically African American officers, some of whom had disciplinary issues and were not suitable for the responsibilities of a sergeant,” the complaint reads.

The lawsuit alleges that the police department’s merit-based promotion system, which allows high-ranking officers to nominate cops for promotion even if they did not score well on exams, particularly benefits minority candidates at the expense of other officers.

Despite Mr. Yusuf having scored “in the first promotional tier” in the sergeant’s exam, he has still not been promoted. Since 2019, there have been “over 75 Merit Promotions to sergeant,” and “less than five” of those candidates identify as Caucasian, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint continues, “The Racial Identity Policy Ban facially and intentionally discriminates against certain individuals based on personally identifiable characteristics like race.”

As part of his complaint, Mr. Yusuf cited the department’s regulations on gender as a double standard. In 2021, under the guidance of former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, police collaborated with LGBT advocacy organizations to revise police department policy, including instructing officers on how to use the correct pronouns.

A statement on the Chicago Police Department website instructs officers on the importance of using the correct pronouns, stating: “Sharing your own pronouns in various spaces (like the workplace, online, and in everyday life introductions) can help bring awareness to the power and significance pronouns have to each person. Sharing your pronouns can also bring awareness to the fact that pronouns and gender identities cannot be assumed based on a person’s gender expression, anatomy, name or appearance.”

The website goes on to give officers an example of how to interact with the public, stating: “The best way to ask someone about their pronouns is to simply introduce yourself and your pronouns first. For example, ‘Hi! My name is Phoebe and I use she/her pronouns. How should I refer to you?’”

The Epoch Times contacted the Chicago Police Department for comment. An information officer stated that the department’s policy prohibits commenting on ongoing cases.

Surge in Crime Rate

As the Windy City is embroiled in controversy over the race and gender of its officers, the crime rate continues to remain at near-record highs.

In the last several months, Chicago has seen the largest spike in robberies in over 20 years, with nearly 4,900 thefts happening between July 1 and Nov. 26, 2023, a more than 55 percent increase compared to the previous five months, according to the most recent data. In 2023, the city had 617 homicide cases, with detectives solving 319 of them, according to police statistics.

Chicago is also enduring a mass influx of illegal immigrants, who many residents believe have contributed to the rising crime rate.

Chicago has maintained its status as a sanctuary city since 1985, when former Mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order. The order became law in 2006 when city officials were directed not to ask about immigration status, disclose that information to federal authorities, or deny city services depending on citizenship status.

Last month, Chicago police alleged that a group of illegal immigrants were part of a crime ring allegedly behind a string of retail thefts and burglaries. In total, 47 illegal immigrants have been arrested since October in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, about 20 miles west of the Second City, Chief of Police Brian Strockis told Fox News.

“These retail crimes involving migrant offenders are part of a bigger criminal enterprise, and we are working closely with our federal partners to thoroughly investigate these cases,” said Mr. Strockis.

Oak Brook Deputy Chief of Police Reid Foltyniewicz told Fox News that residents needed to be vigilant to this new threat.

“We want everyone to be aware of the increase in criminal activity from the migrant community coming from Chicago.”