Chicago Police Official Knew of Baker's Troubled Past, Reversed Earlier Denial Just Months Before He Fatally Shot Partner
A year ago, Officer Carlos Baker applied to join the elite Gresham District tactical team, but his application was rejected by a top official due to his disciplinary history. However, after a second attempt, he won the coveted spot just months later.
According to internal records obtained by Illinois Answers Project and the Chicago Sun-Times, Baker's disciplinary record had flagged him from the start. In May 2024, Patrol Chief Jon Hein cited Baker's past "discipline" as the reason for rejecting his application. However, just five months later, in January 2025, Baker submitted a new application that included two sustained complaints and several lesser infractions.
The reversal of Hein's decision came despite the fact that Baker had refused to submit a report after being late for work and was accused of insubordination by one of his superiors. The records show that Baker had also been accused of flashing a gun at a woman who'd spurned his advances inside a bar in December 2022.
Baker's appointment to the tactical team came with the backing of his district commander, Michael Tate, who worked under Superintendent Larry Snelling earlier in his career. However, after submitting a second application in January 2025, Baker won the appointment to the tactical team despite having more complaints against him than when he first applied.
Just months later, on June 5, 2025, Baker fatally shot his partner, Officer Krystal Rivera, during a chase in Chatham. The shooting remains under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Baker's actions have sparked outrage among some, including John Catanzara, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7. According to Catanzara, Baker tripped while trying to reverse course and accidentally fired his gun without realizing it had gone off.
The Rivera family has filed a lawsuit against the city and Baker, alleging that he was a threat to her safety and that the department could have fired him over the complaints. The lawsuit also notes that the department could have fired Baker for his behavior outside a bar in August 2024, where he was accused of attacking an off-duty female officer.
In the immediate aftermath of Rivera's death, Baker repeatedly called Tate, who had signed off on Baker's requests to join the tactical team. Baker told officers investigating the attack that he, not the female officer, was the victim and said he was harassed by two women outside the bar.
The case has raised questions about the Chicago Police Department's handling of internal affairs and its ability to discipline officers with troubled pasts. The police department declined to comment on why Hein reversed his earlier decision to block Baker's appointment to the tactical team.
A year ago, Officer Carlos Baker applied to join the elite Gresham District tactical team, but his application was rejected by a top official due to his disciplinary history. However, after a second attempt, he won the coveted spot just months later.
According to internal records obtained by Illinois Answers Project and the Chicago Sun-Times, Baker's disciplinary record had flagged him from the start. In May 2024, Patrol Chief Jon Hein cited Baker's past "discipline" as the reason for rejecting his application. However, just five months later, in January 2025, Baker submitted a new application that included two sustained complaints and several lesser infractions.
The reversal of Hein's decision came despite the fact that Baker had refused to submit a report after being late for work and was accused of insubordination by one of his superiors. The records show that Baker had also been accused of flashing a gun at a woman who'd spurned his advances inside a bar in December 2022.
Baker's appointment to the tactical team came with the backing of his district commander, Michael Tate, who worked under Superintendent Larry Snelling earlier in his career. However, after submitting a second application in January 2025, Baker won the appointment to the tactical team despite having more complaints against him than when he first applied.
Just months later, on June 5, 2025, Baker fatally shot his partner, Officer Krystal Rivera, during a chase in Chatham. The shooting remains under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Baker's actions have sparked outrage among some, including John Catanzara, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7. According to Catanzara, Baker tripped while trying to reverse course and accidentally fired his gun without realizing it had gone off.
The Rivera family has filed a lawsuit against the city and Baker, alleging that he was a threat to her safety and that the department could have fired him over the complaints. The lawsuit also notes that the department could have fired Baker for his behavior outside a bar in August 2024, where he was accused of attacking an off-duty female officer.
In the immediate aftermath of Rivera's death, Baker repeatedly called Tate, who had signed off on Baker's requests to join the tactical team. Baker told officers investigating the attack that he, not the female officer, was the victim and said he was harassed by two women outside the bar.
The case has raised questions about the Chicago Police Department's handling of internal affairs and its ability to discipline officers with troubled pasts. The police department declined to comment on why Hein reversed his earlier decision to block Baker's appointment to the tactical team.
i dont think it was necessary for officer baker to join the tactical team considering all those complaints against him... i mean, whats next? officers with bad pasts joining our most elite teams? and now we have an innocent woman dead because of his actions... its just heartbreaking 
. how did he get away with that second application? and what was going on with his commanders? didnt they see the red flags? 
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That's like, impossible to fathom. And the fact that he was able to get away with so much stuff before joining the tactical team is just infuriating 
. I'm all about giving people second chances and rehabilitation programs, but this guy had like 3 strikes and he's out, you know? 
I mean, we're talking about two sustained complaints and several others against him, not to mention the allegations of flashing his gun at a woman in a bar... it's just not right. 
And now, one of those women is dead. 
The fact that Baker was able to join the tactical team despite all this is just disturbing. What happened with the department's internal process? Did they really think he was cleared to work on a team where lives are literally at risk? 
This whole thing just reeks of a lack of accountability and oversight... it's a nightmare for the Rivera family and for all of us who have faith in our police department. 
The fact that he got hired with two sustained complaints already is crazy enough, but then he goes out there and fatally shoots his partner during a chase? That's just devastating for everyone involved.
. We should be holding the police department accountable for their actions here 
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It's all so confusing and disturbing. The fact that the department is trying to sweep this under the rug by not commenting on it... ugh! 
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