Among law enforcement officers some things are sacred. Most Americans don’t realize the police have no legal obligation to protect anyone—the case is Castlerock v. Gonzales, available here--but most cops accept a personal, moral obligation to help whenever they’re able. Any officer refusing to do their job, particularly if that refusal results in unnecessary harm to a civilian—that’s how cops usually refer to non-cops--or a fellow cop, is shunned as a coward and traitor and in most agencies may be fired for negligence.
And then there’s Chicago, under Governor JB Pritzger and Mayor Brandon Johnson:
Two longtime, ranking Chicago police sources sharply rejected the department’s assertion that officers responded to calls for help from ICE agents who were rammed and surrounded by protesters on Saturday, telling Fox News the official statement is, in their words, "COVER THEIR A-- BULLS--T!!"
High ranking Chicago PD officers apparently lied:
In a statement Sunday, the Chicago Police Department disputed claims that officers failed to respond, saying they were on scene to manage safety and document the incident.
"To clarify misinformation currently circulating, CPD officers did in fact respond to the shooting scene involving federal authorities on Saturday to maintain public safety and traffic control," the department said.
Thy compounded the lie:
"The Chicago Police Department will always respond to anyone who is being attacked or is under the threat of physical harm," the department said. "For incidents involving federal immigration enforcement, CPD supervisors will respond to the scene and determine the appropriate course of action in accordance with City law."
The controversy was over an incident where federal agents were rammed, surrounded and trapped by ten vehicles full of “protestors” bent on preventing immigration enforcement. At least one of the attackers was armed and gunfire was exchanged:
The armed woman, a U.S. citizen identified as Marimar Martinez, was named in a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intelligence bulletin, DHS wrote in a statement. She allegedly doxxed agents and posted online, "Hey to all my gang let’s f--- those motherf------ up, don’t let them take anyone."
Martinez, who with another attacker was later arrested, drove herself to a hospital.
The Chicago PD brass assertion that officers responded is mostly false. There were apparently at least a few officers on the way to help the federal agents, but they were ordered to retreat, as this dispatch document reveals:
Graphic: CPD, Public Domain
At the link, audio of the police dispatcher relaying the order to abandon the federal agents can be heard:
Graphic: X Post
The second ranking police department source told Fox News, "Their statement is COVER THEIR A- - BULLS- -T!! The IRT team was called off while they were en route to handle the shooting—the ETs were told to disregard."
"I’m so irate about it I filed FOIA requests last night," the second source added. "I have never been more embarrassed to be a former member of this department with the current leadership in place. I feel for the men and women left behind, forced to work under these cowards as their command channel."
Why would the leaders of the Chicago Police Department refuse to help fellow law enforcement officers? Isn’t that a betrayal of every officer’s honor code?
Yes. It is.
It’s well known that local police and federal law enforcement often have strained relationships. The feds, and particularly the FBI, demand support and cooperation, but are all too often not willing to reciprocate, particularly where information and intelligence sharing are concerned.
But circa October 2025, Illinois is a declared “sanctuary” state and Chicago is a declared “sanctuary” city. In addition, Mayor Johnson recently signed an executive order making much of Chicago an "ICE-free zone." Johnson and Pritzger are violently anti-Trump and anti-ICE and refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement in any way.
Normally, line officers would work with feds on the sly, but the problem is higher-ranking officers. No one reaches high rank in a blue city police force unless they’re willing to do the bidding of the leftist politicians that hired them, regardless of how improper, dangerous or illegal that bidding might be. Officers who might normally stealthily support their fellow cops know better under Brandon Johnson, who they reportedly uniformly hate. That hate is reportedly mutual. Disobeying even improper and illegal orders surely would see officers losing their jobs and careers and might even result in prosecution.
Such is life and dishonor in blue state America.
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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.