Review of Chicago Police Department’s “Gang Database”

Executive Summary

OIG’s review found that while the Chicago Police Department (CPD or the “Department”) deploys a host of strategies, tactics, and technology in relation to gangs, it does not have a unified, stand-alone “gang database” as publicly perceived. Instead, the Department collects and stores information on individual and geographic gang involvement through a multitude of internal databases, forms, visualization tools, and repositories. CPD also receives gang-related data generated by external agencies. Therefore, any effort to address public concern over the purpose and practices associated with the Department’s collection and use of gang information must begin with an accurate understanding of the various components and current technological limitations.

To conduct this review, OIG examined CPD’s policies on gangs; observed gang-related trainings at CPD’s Training Academy; interviewed Department personnel across ranks and Bureaus regarding gang information; analyzed CPD’s gang-related data in Arrest Reports; and examined external agencies’ access to CPD’s gang-related data. Further, OIG attended public forums with community members regarding CPD’s gang designations; reviewed local, federal, and state statutes; reviewed policies regarding gang designations from other jurisdictions; and spoke with local and national law enforcement, community-based, research, criminal justice, legal, and auditing agencies regarding gang designations.