Chicago Police Disband Elite Unit

CHICAGO --

Chicago police will split up an elite unit of officers that has been at the heart of a corruption case involving allegations of kidnappings, home invasions and robberies, the department announced Tuesday.

The Special Operations Section will be dismantled, perhaps as soon as Tuesday afternoon. The SOS was the unit tasked with policing drug and gun crimes throughout the city, but seven of its officers were arrested last year on corruption charges.

Police officials made the announcement at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

"SOS will no longer be in place," Interim Police Superintendent Dana Starks said. "I want to make it very clear that these men and women are decent, hard-working and dedicated police officers who have made a commitment to the mission of fighting the everyday battle against gangs and guns and drugs, who have served this city honorably and with integrity. Let's not forget that."

Starks said former duties of the SOS, including the police marine, helicopter, K-9 and Animal Abuse units will now fall under the Special Functions Group.

Starks said the reorganized units would be closely supervised.

A leader of the SOS unit, Jerome Finnigan, was accused by federal investigators last month of trying to hire someone to kill a fellow officer whom Finnigan feared would testify against him.

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