Mayor Johnson under fire

Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson accused Mayor Brandon Johnson of 'chopping away' at Chicago Police Department to balance pre-election budget after three years of shrinking CPD by attrition.

“chopping away”

Police academy year-round

Acting Police Superintendent Fred Waller negotiated with mayor's office to keep police academy operating year-round with 50 or more recruit classes.

Budget cuts impact

Mayor's $17.6 billion budget freezes 368 police vacancies and replaces dozens of officers with civilians.

Officer shortages

Last year CPD hired 539 officers and lost 397 to retirement; this year 407 hirings versus 363 retirements.

Response times

South and West Side police districts show worst response time gaps amid higher violent crime rates.

District concerns

North Side Ald. Timmy Knudsen reported 13 smashed windows on Clark Street businesses in one night.

Burglary response

Chief of Detectives Kevin Bruno promised to track burglars using video, license plate readers and cell phone data.

Officer allocation

North Side Ald. Timmy Knudsen noted fewer officers assigned to Near North and Town Hall Districts.

ShotSpotter replacement

Police department officials refused to name ShotSpotter replacement after long bid process.

Gun detection pilot

City launched gun detection technology pilot program but officials lack details on implementation.

Budget hearing context

Acting Police Superintendent Fred Waller testified at City Council budget hearings about police academy negotiations.

District response gaps

First Deputy Police Superintendent Antoinette Ursitti noted district-by-district response time analysis underway.

Recruitment challenges

Waller stated police recruitment remains difficult due to officer shortages and attrition.

Current officer count

CPD has 14,000 officers but lost 1,000 officers since 2024 due to attrition.