The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit that the ACLU filed against the City of Chicago -- a lawsuit that claims the city is not adequately protecting minority neighborhoods. The police union argues that a judge should not be shaping public policy as to how cops are assigned across the city and further points out that the ACLU is working with the law firm, Sidley Austin LLP. Sidley Austin has previously worked with Rahm Emanuel on reining in credit card abuses and one of the firm's partners is a member of the Chicago Police Board.

The ACLU lawsuit itself charges that Chicago cops are more responsive in white and relatively affluent neighborhoods and respond slower to 911 calls in minority, and more low-income, communities.