- The Chicago Police Department is down hundreds of officers despite pledges by City Hall to boost the force to combat growing violent crime, police union and department officials confirmed Wednesday.
Police Supt. Jody Weis, facing criticism over rising homicide rates, promised aldermen to expand the department by 75 officers as part of an effort to put more officers on the street. But City Hall has not approved department requests to hire enough officers to keep up with retirements and other attrition.
Mayor Richard Daley has said the city must reduce personnel costs in the face of a dismal economy and a gaping budget hole but has not specified where the cuts could be made at this point.
Daley makes J-Fed walk away and keep quiet:
- As Daley hailed the opening of an extended runway at O'Hare International Airport, Weis waited at the edge of the crowd for more than two hours. After the event, as reporters asked Daley about police hiring, Weis stepped up to the microphone stand.
That's when the mayor abruptly ended the news conference. Daley said he would talk today about O'Hare expansion and nothing else.
[...] With that, Daley walked away from the microphones, trailed by Weis.
The shortage numbers are way more than 250 or 400. That could be total hires, but if you want street strength, we're down 1,000. Easily. You want proof? How many down Beat cars on midnights where you work? How many 99 units? The Department hasn't reduced the number of beats, that's for sure.
0 Comments