Firing Of Chicago Cop Over 'Horrific' Botched Anjanette Young Raid Upheld By Judge

NILES, IL — A Cook County judge has upheld the Chicago Police Board’s decision to terminate a former Chicago police sergeant who oversaw a botched 2019 raid that left a social worker handcuffed and naked in her home, records show.

Judge David Atkins issued a ruling last month affirming the police board's June 2023 vote to fire former CPD Sgt. Alex Wolinski, who it found was responsible for multiple violations after he supervised officers as they executed a search warrant at the wrong house.

Wolinski had filed a lawsuit against the city to overturn his termination, but the judge ruled his firing was “neither arbitrary nor unreasonable,” noting the severity of Wolinski’s conduct as documented by investigators.

"Specifically in this case, the evidence reflected that approximately twelve armed officers executed a search warrant where upon entry they encountered a naked woman, Ms. Anjanette Young, standing in-her home," Atkins said.

"The premises was secured in approximately one and a half minutes, Plaintiff Wolinksi was the sergeant in charge at the scene and failed to allow a handcuffed Ms. Young to get-dressed for ten minutes — despite her requests and the requests of some of his officers," the judge said. "She was not shown or read the search warrant for approximately twenty minutes."

Young’s case drew national attention, highlighting longstanding concerns over Chicago police practices. Chicago taxpayers ended up on the hook for a $2.9 million settlement.

According to the scathing 31-page report about the raid from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA, Wolinski ignored Young's pleas for clothing and to see the warrant while disregarding the reasonable suggestions of his officers to address her suffering.

"While [Young] was suffering, [Wolinsky's] officers dawdled. They took pictures of the scene and put away their equipment. They played with her dog. Not one appeared threatened. During the search of [Young's] residence, [Wolinsky] failed, in nearly every way, to adequately discharge the duties of his office and lead his fellow officers. The resulting image is horrific," the report said.

"Here, the rule violations by and failures of [Wolinsky] brought discredit upon the Chicago Police Department and undermined its mission."

On Feb. 21, 2019, Chicago police, led by Wolinski, executed a search warrant at Young’s apartment. The warrant targeted a suspect thought to be in possession of illegal guns who lived next door and was wearing an electronic monitoring device.

Body camera footage showed officers breaking down Young’s door as she undressed, then handcuffing her as she stood naked and repeatedly told them they had the wrong address. Young later obtained and released the footage — despite efforts by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration to keep it secret.

“The raid of Ms. Young’s home was truly painful to watch,” said COPA Chief Administrator Sydney Roberts.

“Given the significance of this investigation, COPA assigned this case to a uniquely constructed 10 member team to evaluate the critical Fourth Amendment issues raised in this complaint," Roberts said. "While we cannot fully heal the pain Ms. Young experienced on that day and ever since, we hope that our investigation and recommendations will enable the healing process.”

The COPA investigation found nearly a dozen officers involved committed almost 100 acts of misconduct. The oversight office recommended significant suspensions for Wolinski and another officer, with the possibility of separation from the department.

Then-CPD superintendent, David Brown, followed COPA’s recommendation in 2021, moving to fire Wolinski.

The case went before the Chicago Police Board, which voted 5-3 in June 2023 to terminate Wolinski’s employment, citing his “failure of leadership.”

The board found him guilty of multiple rule violations, including disrespect to or maltreatment of any person, inattention to duty and disobedience of orders.

“Although this event does not atone for the traumatic injustice I faced, knowing that members of the Chicago Police Board are starting to see how carelessly some officers engage with the community gives me a little bit of peace," Young said after the ruling.

Even though the Chicago Police Board terminated Wolinski, he managed to secure a position with the Niles Police Department.

In December 2023, Niles police announced that Wolinski had joined their ranks, with Chief Luis Tigera overseeing the swearing-in ceremony. Department representatives expressed hope for Wolinski’s “long and successful” career in the village.

It was not the first time the 56-officer department has hired a cop with a less-than-stellar disciplinary record, as Patch has reported.

Abah Antonio, the man who shocked Evanston library patrons when he pulled out a gun at a homeless man during a shift as a security guard, was hired by the Niles Police Department in July 2021.

Eighteen months earlier, he had resigned from the Evanston Police Department during his probationary period after managing to get disciplined four times in eight months for policy violations.

A provision in the SAFE-T Act package of criminal law reforms requires that certain misconduct records be entered into a statewide database — accessible to law enforcement agencies but not the public — to flag officers who have been decertified. The system allows agencies to see if an applicant was fired for misconduct but does not legally prohibit hiring those with past terminations.

Related:

• Chicago's Top Lawyer Resigns Over Anjanette Young Video Debacle
• Chicago Mayor Says 'Sorry' To Social Worker Wrongly Raided By PD
• Inspector General Slams City's Response To Botched Anjanette Young Raid
• Probe Clears Mayor Lightfoot Of Covering Up Wrongful Raid