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Steve Held on Muck Rack

Steve Held

(He/Him)
Chicago
As seen in: Unraveled, The Hill, Chicago Reader, Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, The TRiiBE, Laurel Outlook, Progressive Hub
Covers:  Policing, surveillance, extremism, corruption, state violence, liberation movements
Muckraker. Researcher. Cynical idealist, exposing corruption & systemic problems. Mostly posting at blue sky, now reporting at @UnraveledPress.
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Eyes on the heartland

Eyes on the heartland

Unraveled — A vast network of new license plate cameras has exploded across Illinois in recent years-paid for by state grants to fight retail crime. With the federal government clamoring for more information on people's movements, how worried should we be about leaving our privacy in the hands of Flock Safety?
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DEA agent used Illinois cop's Flock license plate reader password for immigration enforcement sea...

DEA agent used Illinois cop's Flock license plate reader password for immigration enforcement sea...

Unraveled — A federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent on a Chicago area task force used Palos Heights Detective Todd Hutchinson's login credentials to perform unauthorized searches this past January. Group chat screenshots obtained via public records request show the detective and the feds discussing the incident.
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The 15th floor

The 15th floor

Unraveled — Inside immigration court in Chicago, where expedited removal has now hit the “sanctuary city” thousands of miles away from the border.
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STRIPPED: The Chicago cops who lost their badges in 2024

STRIPPED: The Chicago cops who lost their badges in 2024

Unraveled — Officers accused of domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse, and lying top the list
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Exposed: White nationalist group responsible for hate spree across Chicagoland

Exposed: White nationalist group responsible for hate spree across Chicagoland

Unraveled — Members of the Windy City Active Club include a USPS worker, a recent finance grad from DePaul, and a Polish American tied to other hate groups.
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Suspensions issued to cops who killed Dexter Reed over pattern of violating constitutional rights

Suspensions issued to cops who killed Dexter Reed over pattern of violating constitutional rights

Unraveled — Investigations into four other traffic stops involving the tactical officers who shot and killed Dexter Reed last year outline more details of their campaign of terror against drivers on the West Side.
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"SheepdogCPD" Detective Shawn Popow faces termination

"SheepdogCPD" Detective Shawn Popow faces termination

Unraveled — Superintendent Larry Snelling concurred with the recommendation of an exhaustive 36-page report outlining the officer's racist social media posts.
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Cop who shot and killed Dexter Reed quits amid investigations

Cop who shot and killed Dexter Reed quits amid investigations

Unraveled — Alexandra Giampapa was one of four Chicago police officers who fired at Reed in a hail of 96 bullets at a traffic stop last year. Now she's a cop in Ohio.
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“No, it’s just fireworks!” Chicago cop opens fire on child with fireworks after ShotSpotter alert

“No, it’s just fireworks!” Chicago cop opens fire on child with fireworks after ShotSpotter alert

Unraveled — Body-worn camera footage of the January 25 incident in Gresham was released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability today.
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CPD Detective Who Tweeted Selfie at Ariana Grande Under Investigation for Racist and Transphobic ...

CPD Detective Who Tweeted Selfie at Ariana Grande Under Investigation for Racist and Transphobic ...

Unraveled — Dozens of shockingly racist and transphobic social media posts from Detective Shawn Popow are currently under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
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"Somewhere nobody would find her"

"Somewhere nobody would find her"

Unraveled — Nearly five years later, a six month suspension for violent cop who held ex-girlfriend against her will
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CPD ShotSpotter "Lives Saved" List Includes at Least One Dead Man, Other Misleading Wins

CPD ShotSpotter "Lives Saved" List Includes at Least One Dead Man, Other Misleading Wins

Unraveled — Records show the Chicago Police Department has misrepresented the extent of the technology's role in providing aid to gunshot victims.
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CPD Sends Error-Ridden ShotSpotter Report to City Council

CPD Sends Error-Ridden ShotSpotter Report to City Council

Unraveled — The data includes over 12,000 events where police response times were zero or negative.
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Study: ShotSpotter Has “No Effect” on Chicago’s Fatal Shootings or Arrest Rates

Study: ShotSpotter Has “No Effect” on Chicago’s Fatal Shootings or Arrest Rates

Unraveled — A new study has found that ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection technology (GDT), does not live up to the benefits touted by the vendor and law enforcement. Among the study’s findings, ShotSpotter “did not translate to any meaningful improvements to crime control outcomes.”
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Four crooked cops caught unlawfully seizing guns and lying about it now face termination

Four crooked cops caught unlawfully seizing guns and lying about it now face termination

Unraveled — The Civilian Office of Police Accountability's investigation sustained 108 combined allegations against the crew, exposing a pattern of misconduct by the 5th District tactical officers.
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"Y'all jump out on us every day"-Tactical team that killed Dexter Reed was involved in a shooting...

"Y'all jump out on us every day"-Tactical team that killed Dexter Reed was involved in a shooting...

Unraveled — The 11th District tactical officers were conducting potentially unlawful searches with their body-worn cameras turned off when one of them shot and killed a dog.
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Tactical team who killed Dexter Reed under investigation for over two dozen unjustified stops and...

Tactical team who killed Dexter Reed under investigation for over two dozen unjustified stops and...

Unraveled — A review of police surveillance footage also shows CPD stopping another driver immediately before heading in Reed's direction.
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Crooked Chicago Cop Crew Seen in Videos Stealing Guns, Drugs, and Cash

Crooked Chicago Cop Crew Seen in Videos Stealing Guns, Drugs, and Cash

Unraveled — Four Calumet District tactical unit officers were stripped of their police powers after filing false reports-in one instance, they even let a man wanted for murder walk away smoking his blunt.
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Cop who killed Anthony Alvarez training new recruits

Cop who killed Anthony Alvarez training new recruits

Unraveled — Evan Solano, now a CPD field training officer, avoided termination in 2022 after chasing Alvarez and shooting him in the back.
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Chicago's massive DNC cop city included over 135 outside police departments

Chicago's massive DNC cop city included over 135 outside police departments

Unraveled — Recently obtained contracts between CPD and other Illinois law enforcement agencies illustrate precisely how dissent was crushed at the national political convention.
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Abusive cop named in whistleblower suit convicted of assault

Abusive cop named in whistleblower suit convicted of assault

Unraveled — Detective Marco Torres, the subject of a suit against the city filed by another police officer accusing the department of covering up domestic violence, was sentenced to one year of probation and electronic monitoring.
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Chicago cop faces firing over vehicle pursuit that led to death of innocent motorist

Chicago cop faces firing over vehicle pursuit that led to death of innocent motorist

Unraveled — Superintendent Snelling recently moved to terminate Officer Michael Spilotro III for his role in a tragedy that garnered little attention in 2023. Spilotro and his rookie partner violated multiple department policies in pursuit of a stolen vehicle that crashed into several others, killing 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant Angel Eduardo Alvarez Montesinos.
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Alleged CPD Child Predator Was Assigned to High Schools - People's Fabric

Alleged CPD Child Predator Was Assigned to High Schools - People's Fabric

peoplesfabric.com — Chicago Police Officer Charged With Sexual Abuse of Minors Worked as Substitute School Resource Officer at Two Far Northwest Side High Schools
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Analysis: FOP Campaign Spending on State Legislative Races - People's Fabric

Analysis: FOP Campaign Spending on State Legislative Races - People's Fabric

peoplesfabric.com — A look at campaign expenditures in three northwest side state legislative races.
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