A Chicago police officer, Mohammad Yusuf, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city seeking the right to change his race on official records.
Yusuf, 43, is challenging the Chicago Police Department’s refusal to allow him to switch his race from “Caucasian” to “Egyptian and African American.”
The lawsuit, filed last week, comes in the wake of the department’s decision to permit officers to freely change their gender to align with their identity.
Yusuf argues that this restriction on changing race is impacting his professional advancement within the department.
Yusuf alleges that he has been repeatedly overlooked for promotions due to his current racial classification.
Despite scoring well on promotional exams, he claims that promotions have been primarily awarded to minority candidates, with very few going to Caucasian applicants like himself.
The veteran officer points to the department’s promotion system, which he says particularly benefits minority candidates, even if they perform poorly on exams.
Yusuf claims that African American officers with disciplinary issues have been promoted over him, despite his exemplary qualifications.
When Yusuf joined the force in 2004, the department only offered three race selections: Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic. He chose “Caucasian,” but now, with over nine racial designations available, he seeks to reflect his true identity.
Yusuf alleges that the department’s refusal to change his race, even after providing DNA test results, constitutes discrimination based on race, violating Title V of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Chicago Police Department declined to comment on pending litigation.
However, Yusuf remains determined to challenge the department’s policy and secure the right to change his racial classification.
