CHICAGO — The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) unanimously approved a change to a Chicago police policy that hadn’t been amended in more than 25 years.

CCPSA voted to pass a new policy Monday that will prohibit Chicago police officers from being members of groups that are based in bias – like the Proud Boys or Oath Keepers.

The old policy prohibited officers from being members of criminal organizations or associating with people who are.

The new rule bans officers from being a part of hate and terrorist groups that are based in bias, promote illegal prejudice, that want to overthrow the government or interfere with police duties.

The commission said it’s been working with CPD on this change for most of this year.

This vote comes just weeks after a Chicago Sun Times and WBEZ investigation revealed at least nine current officers are members of the Oath Keepers, which the Anti-Defamation League identifies as antigovernmental extremists.

“We saw in our country on January 6th just how pervasive this ideology can be and it’s recently bubbled to the surface in our city as well,” CCPSA president Anthony Driver, Jr. said. “We want to make sure folks that engage in that type of behavior are not members of law enforcement.”

Though the commission has the power to set the policy, it can’t enforce it.

The commission has asked the office of the Inspector General to audit CPD’s process for disciplining officers associated with extremist groups work that is ongoing.  

This policy will take effect in 60 days unless the mayor decides to veto it.

WGN-TV have reached out to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office for reaction to Monday’s vote and have not yet heard back