A police commander in Chicago went around prosecutors to approve murder charges in order to keep a man behind bars. The man in question allegedly admitted to murdering a person with a hammer, per law enforcement sources and legal records, as CWB Chicago <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2022/04/chicago-police-commander-approved-murder-charges-in-hammer-attack-because-prosecutors-refused-to-do-it-records-show.html">reported</a>. 
The state’s attorney’s felony review division “was going with possible self-defense but they wanted the hammer processed to find [Stamps’] prints or DNA even though he admitted to killing the guy with [the] hammer,” a source told the outlet. “They’re just looking for any reason to deny charges.”
The alleged assailant is Gregory Stamps, who allegedly met David Castile (42) at an LGBTQ bar, who then said he could give Stamps a ride home.
“The medical examiner said there were 20 to 30 skull defects,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy told Judge Kelly McCarthy on Tuesday afternoon, per CWB. “That’s 20 to 30 shots to the head that this defendant gave over and over and over again with that hammer.”
On Sunday morning, Stamps allegedly hit Castile in the head 20 to 30 times with a hammer in his bedroom, and proceeded to haul his naked body down multiple flights of stairs and outside to the alley, per Murphy. He then allegedly threw the victim’s clothing in a dumpster and returned, but never dialed 911, Murphy said. 
A witness saw Stamps walking in the hall and then spotted blood going towards the back door. The person called 911 “several times” and waited for law enforcement. 
When the police arrived, they found Castile, who was still barely alive and they “tried lifesaving measures,” per Murphy, but Castile later died at the University of Chicago Hospital.
Investigators came into contact with Stamps in the hallway of the first floor early Sunday morning. They noticed he had blood on his hand, clothing, and shoe, per Murphy. They detained him and allegedly discovered he had Castile’s wallet in his pocket. 
He was questioned about why he had blood all over him, and he allegedly responded by saying that he had fallen down the stairs and landed in it. However, a few minutes later, he changed his story, allegedly telling the officers he was going to “be honest,” claiming, “He was just trying to rape me.”
Law enforcement read him his Miranda rights, but he continued to talk and reportedly again said he killed Castile with a hammer and explained it had taken place in his bedroom. The officers’ body cameras reportedly recorded what he said. 
The police went to the bedroom, and allegedly discovered walls with blood on them, blood on a mattress, and a hammer, seeming to back up Stamps’ own story.
Murphy claimed that Stamps told law enforcement he “beat [Castile’s] a**,” and was hoping that Castile had died. However, he had no reason for why he had Castile&#8217;s wallet, or why he took the victim&#8217;s body outside, or why he threw Castile&#8217;s clothing in the garbage, Murphy added.
Murphy said the injuries on the victim show “That is not self-defense. That is first-degree murder. And I would point out there are no injuries on this defendant. None.”
“He doesn’t call police. Doesn’t call 911. What he does is he tries to get rid of the body,” Murphy continued. “The first thing he says is ‘I fell down the stairs,’ not ‘he tried to rape me.’”
Court records reportedly show that Detective Commander Brown approved murder charges that prosecutors wouldn’t sign off on as Stamps neared his 44th hour in police custody. Police typically have 48 hours to bring charges against someone after he or she is arrested. If they fail to do so, that person is let go.
Stamps’ defense attorney noted that self-defense might be a potential route against the murder allegation, per CWB. 
Judge McCarthy had ordered Stamps to be detained without bail. The Illinois Department of Corrections is reportedly considering his parole status, per court records.
Stamps has a criminal record. He was on parole since May 2018 after serving a little more than five years of his six-year sentence for attempted murder, along with a three-year sentence for domestic battery. According to Murphy, he also said that crime was done in self-defense, but later pleaded guilty to stabbing the person.
Stamps was also arrested last month at a nightclub. He allegedly assaulting a bouncer after threatening an ex-boyfriend, and was issued charges of misdemeanor counts of battery and assault.

Police handcuffs,shackle

Prosecutors Wouldn’t Approve A Murder Charge After Confession, So The Police Commander Stepped In: Report

Chicago Police

Crime

Murder

Violent Crime

Keith Thornton Jr. — a Chicago police dispatcher who was once <a href="https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/08/09/chicago-police-dispatcher-keith-thornton-ella-smith-officer-killed/">praised</a> by Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) for his quick thinking and heroic work while on the job  — has now released a video slamming Lightfoot and other city officials such as the Superintendent of Police David Brown for allowing Chicago to become a &#8220;death zone&#8221; due in part to understaffing and lack of police in certain areas.
In a Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KATTJR/videos/274234451354849/">video</a> posted late Thursday night last week, Thornton ripped Lightfoot for not caring about Chicago police officers and failing to protect Chicago residents, specifically in the 16th district of the city otherwise known as the Jefferson Park district.
&#8220;Today we&#8217;re talking about the northwest side of Chicago, and this was brought to my attention by several of my officers who have texted me, &#8216;OK&#8217; and said that they were scared,&#8221; Thornton said via a Facebook live. &#8220;They&#8217;re tired of this nonsense. They have no backing and they&#8217;re scared of being out there by themselves, working in the 16th District. We&#8217;re talking about the 16th District.&#8221;
CWBChicago <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2021/12/cpd-dispatcher-fumes-over-lack-of-police-resources-cpd-is-short-manpower-and-you-are-being-lied-to-by-the-mayor.html">reported</a> that, &#8220;The Jefferson Park district was staffed by 268 officers when Brown became superintendent in April 2020. There are 229 assigned to the district this month, according to the Chicago Office of Inspector General.&#8221;
&#8220;And I&#8217;m going to tell you right now, 16th District is so shorthanded with officers that when you call 9-1-1, you&#8217;re not getting a quick response like many other parts of the city,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Officers are not coming to you. And why? Because they can&#8217;t be assigned cars to go to you because we have very few officers within these neighborhoods. And it&#8217;s nonsense.&#8221;
&#8220;And I&#8217;m not talking about a dog running or barking or a car alarm going off or, &#8216;Hey, this guy&#8217;s parked in my handicapped spot,'&#8221; he continued.
&#8220;I&#8217;m talking about females being beaten. Shootings — a shooting came up a few days ago and we couldn&#8217;t even get a unit over there. A unit could not even get to that scene until 10 plus minutes later because there was no one,&#8221; he claimed.
Thornton&#8217;s video came the same day that the Chicago Tribune <a href="https://archive.is/mG5Bi#selection-861.299-871.248">reported</a> an increase in violence in areas of the city that are not known for being dangerous areas:
<blockquote>Carjackings continued to increase around the city. Children, seniors and even transit workers found themselves victims in areas that are not known for violence.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>A review of the two years that coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic reveals a dramatic uptick in both homicides and shootings across the city, with a more-than-60% increase in both categories that increased pressure on policymakers to find answers.</blockquote>
As for why Lightfoot is allowing crime to happen, Thornton claimed that Lightfoot simply did not care about areas like the 16th district and also only cared about herself.
</div>
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&#8220;I&#8217;m hot about it because this mayor does not care about Chicago police officers, period. She doesn&#8217;t care about any first responders. She does not care about the d*** city. It doesn&#8217;t matter if you&#8217;re white, black, Asian, Hispanic, other, straight, gay, Democrat, or Republican. She don&#8217;t even care about her city workers. All that lady cares about is her f***ing self.&#8221;
&#8220;And I pray you&#8217;re watching this because you&#8217;re a disgrace and I&#8217;m tired of it,&#8221; he said toward Lightfoot. &#8220;And your city is tired of it. Matter of fact, it&#8217;s not your city. The city of Chicago is tired of it.&#8221;
&#8220;And I know you don&#8217;t like me, and that&#8217;s OK, because I love you,&#8221; he said pointedly, &#8220;but I&#8217;m tired of you because you&#8217;re an absolute disgrace to everyone within the city.&#8221;
&#8220;This city is burning. And either I can let it burn,&#8221; Thornton said at one point.&#8221; Either you guys can let it burn or we can stand up, do something about it, and get burned for it.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve got to come together,&#8221; Thornton concluded, offering to speak with anybody who would help solve the problem of violence, including Lightfoot. &#8220;We&#8217;ve got to come together for our area because this is bull s***. Good night.&#8221;
The full video can be seen here:
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Chicago Police Dispatcher Slams Lori Lightfoot Over Rising Crime: ‘You’re A Disgrace And I’m Tired Of It’

Chicago

As police officers and labor unions across the nation continue to fight vaccine mandates, many law enforcement officials are preparing to lose their jobs.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-officers-across-nation-fight-vaccine-mandates">The Daily Wire reported</a> Wednesday:
<blockquote>City employees in Chicago were required to report their vaccination status to the city on Friday, but more than 3,200 Chicago police officers were refusing to do so as of Monday, according to the police union. Chicago police officials warned last week that officers who refuse to comply with the vaccine mandate may face being disciplined or fired.</blockquote>
In response to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s mandate, Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorBraun/status/1450588518888136704">stated</a> earlier this week that Chicago police officers who are at odds with the city’s order are welcome to serve Indiana. He followed up with a tweet Thursday, sharing an article from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/indiana-invites-chicago-cops-to-move-to-state-were-hiring">The Daily Wire</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorBraun/status/1451261736644927492">stating</a>, “My office has already heard from many Chicago police interested in serving Hoosiers.<a href="https://twitter.com/charlibond_"> @charlibond_</a><a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire"> @realDailyWire</a>”.
With thousands of Chicago police officers refusing to comply with Lightfoot’s mandate, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy shared similar sentiments as Sen. Braun in response to a headline from <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-vaccine-mandate-memo-fraternal-order-of-police-chicago-20211018-wmzako7jyzbuvdhn3bqdekguwu-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>. The article reported on the city’s no-pay order for officers who are unwilling to disclose their vaccination status.
Gov. Dunleavy shared the article Wednesday and<a href="https://twitter.com/GovDunleavy"> tweeted</a>, “Across the country, members of law enforcement are being targeted &amp; even fired for refusing to either get vaccinated or disclose if they have been. Alaska&#8217;s law enforcement community invites you to consider the 49th state where we back the blue.”  
Gov. Dunleavy has stated he will not impose vaccine mandates for state employees, which could generate interest from troopers who are unwilling to comply with regulations in other states. According to <a href="https://www.adn.com/politics/2021/10/21/law-enforcement-officers-fired-under-lower-48-covid-19-vaccination-rules-are-welcomed-to-alaska/">Anchorage Daily News</a>:
<blockquote>Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, said the agency has seen an increase in ‘lateral trooper applications’ this year. Those are police officers in other departments who are interested in becoming troopers. He said it isn’t clear whether that’s because of vaccination mandates, but new statistics could be available by early December. He also confirmed that the department isn’t specifically targeting fired officers for recruitment but is willing to take their applications.</blockquote>
While Alaska and Indiana offer refuge to discharged cops from cities like Chicago — where reported incidents of violent crime are 149% <a href="https://www.areavibes.com/chicago-il/crime/">higher</a> than the national average — many officers may choose to leave the force entirely.
Media outlets are scoffing at the dilemma police officers are facing, with some <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-police-e2-80-99s-farcical-war-on-vaccine-mandates/ar-AAPQ3DW">calling</a> it “farcical”, but many law enforcement agents who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting their cities have to make a painful decision to either get the jab or hang up their badges.
Former Police Sergeant David Gutierrez made that decision in September. He served nearly 30 years in the San Jose police department, but he resigned due to the vaccine requirement for all city employees. In an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI9kOw4K6is">Fox News,</a> he stated, &#8220;I just want to thank God for giving me the strength to step out of my comfort zone.&#8221; He said the choice was “emotional” and “very difficult, especially after serving for that many years and putting on the uniform so many times.&#8221;

Chicago police shooting leaves at least 3 officers and suspect injured, authorities say

Alaska Now Welcomes Police Officers Who Defy Vaccine Mandates: ‘We Back The Blue’

COVID

Police

Vaccine Mandate

Two more Illinois sheriff&#8217;s departments have refused to provide assistance to the city of Chicago, as the city faces the potential of a police shortage due to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s vaccine mandate. 
James Mendrick, the sheriff of DuPage County, Illinois, as well as Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird, have both rejected the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System’s request for suburban police departments to help the city of Chicago respond to emergencies. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s like a preplanned police shortage,&#8221; DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, whose department is already dealing with a 12-man shortage, told the <a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20211019/kane-dupage-sheriffs-chicago-police-shortage-due-to-vaccine-mandate-isnt-an-emergency-for-us">Daily Herald</a>. &#8220;The lack of logic is the thing that astounds me.&#8221; 
Mendrick said that the usual calls for assistance involve SWAT teams, but they could also include patrols, K-9 units, drones, or other assistance. He illustrated his point with an anecdote about the Chicago Bears football team being suspended, and another team playing in their place. 
“The players wouldn&#8217;t know the coaches or the playbook,” he said, so in the case of an emergency &#8220;put [Chicago police] back in the game.&#8221; 
Baird also refused to send his deputies to aid Chicago, citing concerns about the treatment his officers would receive from Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx if an incident should occur, according to the <a href="https://policetribune.com/illinois-sheriffs-say-they-wont-send-deputies-to-help-fill-gap-created-by-chicagos-vaccine-mandate/">Police Tribune</a>.  
“It sounds like Mayor Lightfoot is creating her own emergency with the decisions she’s making with her police force and I don’t feel that ILEAS assistance in this situation would be warranted,” said Baird. “I would help an officer out if they were distressed. But she’s bringing this upon herself.”
Their refusal comes on the heels of Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain refusing to honor the ILEAS’s request. As previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suburban-chicago-police-asked-to-chicago-in-case-of-police-walkout-over-vaccine-mandate">reported</a> by The Daily Wire, Hain refused to send his deputies to the city because of the city’s progressive political agenda, as well as the vaccine mandate, which neither Hain nor Mendrick has imposed on their deputies.
 “I believe the polarization between the community and police is only reinforced by current Chicago politics,” said Hain in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kanesheriff/posts/244075987766709">statement</a>. “I will not send my personnel to Chicago unless an officer is under direct duress because I cannot support this slanted agenda.” 
“I also will not allow my deputies to be subjected to use force in the city and be under the prosecutorial jurisdiction of the Cook County State’s Attorney. The Chicago Police Department has a dedicated force of professional humans who deserve all of the support the nation can offer. The solution is simple; allow Chicago Police to be the police, support their human resources, and operate treatment and vocational support programs led by people in uniform. This is how Chicago can halt crime and build bridges with the community like we’ve done here in Kane.”  
The city of Chicago is bracing itself for a police shortage amid a showdown between the city’s police union and Mayor Lightfoot over the mayor’s vaccine mandate. 
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the mandate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-union-president-tells-officers-to-resist-city-vaccine-mandate-requirements-hold-the-line">ordered</a> all city employees to declare their vaccination status by Oct. 15, or face unpaid leave, and recently only 64 <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/city-data-64-of-chicago-police-employees-reported-vaccination-status/">percent</a> of police department employees had actually turned in their vaccination records. The head of the Chicago police union previously warned that Chicago could see as much as a 50% drawdown because of the mandate, and has told his officers to “hold the line” in opposing the mandate. The union and the city are currently involved in competing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-and-police-unions-sue-each-other-over-vaccine-mandate">lawsuits</a> over the vaccine rules.
Lightfoot is adamant that contingency plans are in place, but already she has stripped <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-and-police-unions-sue-each-other-over-vaccine-mandate">21 officers</a> of their police powers and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-restrict-time-off-for-cops-as-mayor-threatens-to-put-half-the-force-on-unpaid-leave-over-vaccine-mandate">restricted</a> time off requests in the wake of the shortage.

Lori Lightfoot

More Illinois Sheriffs Departments Refuse Request To Staff Chicago Streets During Possible Police Shortage

Indiana officials are encouraging Chicago police officers to move one state to the east in light of the city’s recent vaccine mandates.
Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) told Fox News in a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-braun-welcomes-chicago-police-officers-fired-vaccine-mandate-indiana-you-deserve-respect">statement</a> this week, &#8220;Our police do the hardest job in the world, and they deserve respect — not losing their pay or being fired for refusing to comply with a ridiculous vaccine mandate.”
Braun is encouraging the &#8220;3,000 Chicago cops defying this government overreach&#8221; to go to his state of Indiana.
&#8220;Indiana’s police departments are hiring now and will welcome you with the respect you deserve,&#8221; Braun told the outlet.
&#8220;My office stands ready to help connect Chicago police officers to an Indiana police department that is hiring now and doesn’t have a vaccine mandate,&#8221; Braun said. &#8220;Welcome to Indiana!”
Steve Scheckel, chief of police in Munster, Indiana, made a similar statement in an interview with Fox, saying there is a &#8220;brighter future right over the border.”
Fox News reported: 
<blockquote>
“We&#8217;ve been seeing more and more Chicago police officers when we do an emergency hire, which is basically a lateral transfer. They already have the academy&#8221; Scheckel said, adding that he is &#8220;absolutely&#8221; open to the idea of working alongside those &#8220;looking for a better quality of life for their family&#8221; who may have been ousted from their jobs.
</blockquote>
&#8220;Here in northwest Indiana, in Munster, we have one of the top-rated school systems in the state,&#8221; Scheckel said.
&#8220;[Officers] can send their kids to public school. It&#8217;s a low-crime community. Even though we&#8217;re 30 minutes from Chicago, we&#8217;re rated one of the 10 safest cities in the state of Indiana. So, it&#8217;s really just a step across the state line to a better life for the officer.”
“From the governor on down, in Indiana, we support our law enforcement,&#8221; said Scheckel. &#8220;I think there&#8217;s a clear contrast between what&#8217;s going on in the city of Chicago right now and what&#8217;s happening in the state of Indiana.”
On Tuesday, Sergeant. Glen Fifield, per an official Twitter account for an Indiana state police district reiterated the support in a <a href="https://twitter.com/ISPLowell2/status/1450657263241269251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1450657263241269251%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/were-hiring-indiana-officials-recruit-chicago-cops-fed-up-with-vaccine-mandate">tweet</a>, writing, “Hey Chicago Police Officers, we’re hiring!  No vaccine mandate. Apply today […] Lower taxes, great schools, welcoming communities.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hey Chicago Police Officers, we’re hiring! No vaccine mandate. Apply today at <a href="https://t.co/lTkLS6Jc9V">https://t.co/lTkLS6Jc9V</a> Lower taxes, great schools, welcoming communities. <a href="https://t.co/u6ggZoxbcU">pic.twitter.com/u6ggZoxbcU</a>
&mdash; Sgt. Glen Fifield (@ISPLowell2) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISPLowell2/status/1450657263241269251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fox News reported on additional police departments in the state that do not have a vaccine requirement, noting, that, “according to Braun&#8217;s team, [those] include Schererville Police Department and Merrillville Police Department, as well as the Lake County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.”
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-and-police-unions-sue-each-other-over-vaccine-mandate">reported</a> by The Daily Wire, the Democratic Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot has been in a back-and-forth battle with Chicago police and its main union over the city’s vaccine mandate. The city and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) have taken the matter to court in combatting lawsuits over the city’s vaccine mandate requirements. 
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-officers-across-nation-fight-vaccine-mandates">reported</a>, “City employees in Chicago were required to report their vaccination status to the city on Friday, but more than 3,200 Chicago police officers were refusing to do so as of Monday, according to the police union. Chicago police officials warned last week that officers who refuse to comply with the vaccine mandate may face being disciplined or fired.” 
Last week, Chicago FOP President John Catanzara put out a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWPl--cAG7I&amp;t=7s">video</a> in which he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-accuses-fraternal-order-of-police-leader-of-trying-to-induce-an-insurrection-over-vaccine-mandate">said</a>, “Do not fill out the portal information. … I’ve made my status very clear as far as the vaccine, but I do not believe the city has the authority to mandate that to anybody — let alone that information about your medical history.” 
He continued, “I can guarantee you that no-pay status will not last more than 30 days. There’s no way they’re going to be able to sustain a police department workforce at 50% capacity or less for more than seven days without something budging.”  
On Monday, Lightfoot discussed the situation, saying, “What we’ve seen from the Fraternal Order Police, and particularly the leadership, is a lot of misinformation, a lot of half-truths, and frankly flat-out lies, in order to induce an insurrection.”
She added, “And we’re not having that. So we want to make it very, very clear that the law’s on our side. We feel very confident about it and what he said even after, what I heard that he said even after the lawsuit was filed and we notified them, is urging members of the department to ignore their chain of command.”

4A161BA2-FCD3-41F1-8F43-30E6989D698A_1_201_a

Indiana Invites Chicago Cops To Move To State: ‘We’re Hiring’

Indiana

On Monday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused members of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) of trying to “induce an insurrection” for protesting the vaccine mandate that went into effect last Friday.
“The city&#8217;s vaccine mandate will place officers who do not submit proof of vaccination by the deadline on a ‘no pay’ status. The police union is preparing a lawsuit against the city of Chicago,” <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/chicago-police-union-chief-calls-officers-ignore-vaccine-mandate">The Washington Examiner</a> reported on October 13.
Last week, Chicago FOP President John Catanzara issued a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWPl--cAG7I&amp;t=7s">video</a> in which he stated, “Do not fill out the portal information. … I’ve made my status very clear as far as the vaccine, but I do not believe the city has the authority to mandate that to anybody — let alone that information about your medical history.” He continued, “I can guarantee you that no-pay status will not last more than 30 days. There’s no way they’re going to be able to sustain a police department workforce at 50% capacity or less for more than seven days without something budging.”
A reporter asked Lightfoot on Monday, “The big question is why legal action, but can I also put it this way, there is a different tone from CPS [Chicago Public Schools], from Pedro Martinez; he was asked what&#8217;s going to happen to those who don&#8217;t have their vaccines, and he said the other day, ‘We&#8217;re going to work with them. We&#8217;re going to talk to them. We&#8217;re going to make sure, try to understand what&#8217;s going on.’ So why a different tone for CPS than the police?”
“Well, I don&#8217;t think there is a different tone for one versus the other,” Lightfoot answered. “CEO Martinez has indicated that, and again, in agreement with the union, so that is one circumstantial difference, that every adult in the system has to be vaccinated. And that agreement was reached months ago and they&#8217;ve been working very hard to execute on that agreement reached with all the collective bargaining agencies that employ folks at CPS. So it&#8217;s a very different set of circumstances and I think he believes it&#8217;s going to be very small group that remains either unvaccinated or not signing up. And so he understands though that accountability is important, as do we.”
“You asked the question of why the lawsuit,” she continued. “Because we believe that the FOP leadership is trying to foment an illegal work stoppage, a strike. Pure and simple. We&#8217;ve laid that out in the materials. And we&#8217;re not having that. The contract is clear and it&#8217;s been known for a long time, the police unions are not authorized to strike. It&#8217;s in their collective bargaining agreement. It&#8217;s a matter of state law.”
“What we&#8217;ve seen from the Fraternal Order Police, and particularly the leadership, is a lot of misinformation, a lot of half-truths, and frankly flat-out lies, in order to induce an insurrection,” she charged. “And we&#8217;re not having that. So we want to make it very, very clear that the law&#8217;s on our side. We feel very confident about it and what he said even after, what I heard that he said even after the lawsuit was filed and we notified them, is urging members of the department to ignore their chain of command.”
“And let me be very clear about this: John Catanzara has destroyed his police career,” she threatened. “Destroyed it. He&#8217;s not fit and he&#8217;s never going to go back to the department in any kind of active position. I don&#8217;t want him to lead these young officers astray and have them destroy their careers like he&#8217;s destroyed his. If you ignore a directive of your supervisor or worse, a direct order that&#8217;s lawfully given, you&#8217;re going to destroy your career. That is going to follow you forever. Over what? Going to a website. Clicking yes or no. And if no, saying that you&#8217;re going to sign up for testing? Really? That&#8217;s worth it? I don&#8217;t think it is.”
“And I don&#8217;t think people are going to follow him over that cliff,” she predicted, adding:
<blockquote>But we&#8217;re going to make sure that he and the leadership of the FOP get a very clear message: we are not allowing them to jeopardize the public safety of our city, our residents, by making it seem as if he is in charge of the Chicago Police Department and he alone can determine staffing and whether or not officers come to work. The other thing that has to be clear: Officers swear an oath to abide by the U.S. Constitution, the state constitution and the laws of this city. That is a sacred oath. That separates them from civilian employees everywhere. It&#8217;s a sacred oath and we expect them to abide by it.
We can&#8217;t expect them and residents that hold them with any degree of legitimacy if those who are sworn to uphold the law, act as if they&#8217;re above the law. We&#8217;re not going to tolerate that. That&#8217;s not acceptable and I think what we&#8217;re going to see is that a lot of officers are going to abide by the mandate and fill out their information. Very simple, straight forward, on the portal.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accuses the Fraternal Order of Police of trying to &quot;induce an insurrection&quot; in opposition to mandates. <a href="https://t.co/TJuxgIsdlq">pic.twitter.com/TJuxgIsdlq</a>
&mdash; Forbes (@Forbes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Forbes/status/1450172020268965896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Local Politicians Kick Off Pride Month In Chicago

Lori Lightfoot Accuses Fraternal Order Of Police Leader Of Trying To ‘Induce An Insurrection’ Over Vaccine Mandate

Illinois State Police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency have instructed a number of police departments in the suburbs of Chicago to contribute officers in case of a shortage of police officers, according to a report from Chicago’s WGN9 TV.
According to the <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/if-needed-suburban-police-asked-to-volunteer-to-help-chicago/">report</a>, an Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) coordinator sent emails to a number of suburban police departments asking them to volunteer the services of their specialist units, and what their response times would be. 
From Chicago&#8217;s WGN:
<blockquote>WGN Investigates has learned a coordinator from the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) sent an email to a dozen police officials from Kankakee to Barrington asking them to ask members of their specialized units whether they would be willing to respond to critical situations in Chicago – and how quickly they could get there.
“To be clear, if members of the ILEAS Special Teams programs are requested, it would be for emergency situations, NOT for routine police assistance and the answering of calls for service within the city limits.  Illinois State Police and Cook County Sheriff’s Office would be tasked with the patrol needs,” the email read…
The Cook County Sheriff’s department already works with Chicago police in some targeted high crime neighborhoods. 
However, Cook County only has 300 sworn officers so their presence wouldn’t come close to filling the void that could be created if Mayor Lightfoot follows through on her threat to suspend the thousands of Chicago officers who had still not reported their vaccination status as of Monday afternoon.  </blockquote>
One department has already refused. 
Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain told WGN he would not send his deputies to the city because of the political agendas of Mayor Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. 
“I will not send my personnel to Chicago unless an officer is under direct duress because I cannot support this slanted agenda,” he said. “I also will not allow my deputies to be subjected to use of force in the City and be under the prosecutorial jurisdiction of the Cook County State’s Attorney.”
The city of Chicago is in danger of a significant police shortage as the city’s police union clashes with Mayor Lightfoot over the city’s vaccine mandate. 
All city workers were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-union-president-tells-officers-to-resist-city-vaccine-mandate-requirements-hold-the-line">ordered</a> to submit their vaccination status by Oct. 15, and unvaccinated workers were ordered to submit to twice-weekly COVID testing, on their own time and at their own expense, until December 31, when all city workers would be ordered to be fully vaccinated. Failure to submit vaccination records and failure to submit to testing would result in the individual being placed on unpaid leave. 
To date, only 64% of the Chicago Police Department, around 8200 people out of 12,700 total, have <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/city-data-64-of-chicago-police-employees-reported-vaccination-status/">submitted</a> their vaccination status to the city. Of those, just under 6900 reported that they were vaccinated, just over half the total number of employees, while some 1300 were not vaccinated. 
The President of the Chicago Police Union, John Catanzara, has told officers to “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-union-president-tells-officers-to-resist-city-vaccine-mandate-requirements-hold-the-line">hold the line</a>,” saying he believes the city has no authority to mandate medical records or vaccination. The city and its police union are currently in the process of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-mayor-lightfoot-and-police-unions-sue-each-other-over-vaccine-mandate">suing</a> each other over the vaccine mandate. 
Lightfoot was adamant that the number of non-compliant officers was low and that the city had contingency plans in place. 
“I don’t engage in a lot of hypotheticals. Obviously, we have contingency plans in place for some time,” she said. “What we’re seeing is the number of folks who are after being given the opportunities and direct order saying no is very small. I’m not seeing that there is going to be any disruption in our ability to keep our neighborhoods safe, we have to keep plugging away at this that will play itself out over the next couple days.
But to date, the mayor has already <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/19-chicago-cops-stripped-of-police-powers-for-not-complying-with-vaccine-reporting-mandate/">stripped</a> 19 officers of their police powers and has cut back on officers&#8217; ability to take <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-police-restrict-time-off-for-cops-as-mayor-threatens-to-put-half-the-force-on-unpaid-leave-over-vaccine-mandate">time off</a> in the wake of the expected shortage, which according to Catanzara, could be as much as 50% of the force.

Protests Across Chicago For and  Against Police

Suburban Chicago Police Asked To Go To Chicago In Case Of Police Walkout Over Vaccine Mandate

COVID-19 Vaccine

The Chicago Police Department announced on Saturday that officers will be restricted from taking &#8220;elective time off&#8221; until further notice.
Although no reason was given for the decision in the memo to officers, the news comes amid twin crises for the Chicago Police Department: a skyrocketing rate of violence and a showdown between officers and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot over the city&#8217;s vaccine mandate.
&#8220;A memo issued Saturday said elective time off for officers will be restricted, and will require the approval of a supervisor with a rank of deputy chief of higher within the officer’s chain of command,&#8221; CBS Chicago reported over the weekend. &#8220;A statement to be read at officer roll calls did not specify the reason for the restriction. But it comes amid a standoff between City Hall and the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police over the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.&#8221;
The city&#8217;s teachers union and Chicago city workers have also asked for a relaxation of the city&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all municipal employees, according to the <a href="https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2021/10/13/22725283/chicago-public-schools-relax-employee-covid-vaccine-mandate">teaching news site, ChalkBeat</a>. So far, though, the mayor&#8217;s office will agree only to postpone the vaccine deadline until the end of 2021, and those city employees who choose not to receive the vaccine before then must be tested for COVID-19 twice weekly until they get the shot.
City workers, though, were required to reveal their vaccination status to the city of Chicago by last Thursday at midnight, using an online portal. Chicago&#8217;s FOP and the city have sued each other over the mandate and the reporting requirement, and Chicago&#8217;s police union president, John Catanzara, has encouraged officers not to report their vaccination status.
&#8220;Friday morning, the city filed a complaint against the FOP and Catanzara, for supporting a &#8216;work stoppage or strike regarding the vaccine mandate.&#8217; Both state law and the FOP contract with the city prohibit officers from going on strike,&#8221; CBS Chicago noted. &#8220;Hours later, the FOP filed its own lawsuit against the city, Lightfoot, and Chicago Police Supt. David Brown, accusing them of failing to properly negotiate with the union over the vaccine mandate.&#8221;
A Chicago judge issued a temporary restraining order on Friday barring the FOP and Catanzara from making any public statements discouraging officers from complying with the city&#8217;s vaccine regulations until the court is able to hold a first hearing on the subject in late October.
Catanzara and the FOP say they have not discouraged officers from making personal decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine, but they feel the city does not have the authority to force officers to receive the vaccine, nor to turn over medical information to other city officials.
The conflict has the potential to make a major impact on crime in the city. Members of the Chicago police who fail to report their vaccination status to the city risk being put on unpaid leave &#8212; a policy that, it is estimated, could affect up to half the force, according to Catanzara.
&#8220;If we suspect the numbers are true and we get a large number of our members who stand firm on their beliefs that this is an overreach, and they&#8217;re not going to supply the information in the portal or submit to testing, then it&#8217;s safe to say the city of Chicago will have a police force at 50% or less for this weekend coming up,&#8221; Catanzara told officers in a recorded message, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/14/us/chicago-police-vaccine/index.html">per CNN</a>. &#8220;That is not because of the FOP, that is 100% because of the mayor&#8217;s unwillingness to budge from her hard line. So whatever happens because of the manpower issue, that falls at the mayor&#8217;s doorstep.&#8221;
Chicago is, as The Daily Wire has previously reported, in the midst of a crime wave. The city just recorded its deadliest September in decades, <a href="https://news.wttw.com/2021/10/01/chicago-records-deadliest-september-early-1990s-police-data-shows">according to numbers released by CPD</a>.

Chicago Police Restrict Time Off For Cops As Mayor Threatens To Put Half The Force On Unpaid Leave Over Vaccine Mandate

Cook County State&#8217;s Attorney Kim Foxx&#8217;s office refused to charge five men arrested in connection with a gang-related gunfight that left at least one person dead and two wounded, even though police requested a number of felony charges for each individual suspect because the five men were &#8220;mutual combatants.&#8221;
The five men were released, leaving Chicago officials, including mayor Lori Lightfoot, incensed.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the men &#8220;linked to a deadly gang-related shootout Friday in Austin were released from custody after prosecutors declined to charge each of them with a pair of felonies, including first-degree murder,&#8221; even though &#8220;police sought to charge all five suspects with murder and aggravated battery.&#8221;
&#8220;The brazen mid-morning gunfight, which left one shooter dead and two of the suspects wounded, stemmed from an internal dispute between two factions of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang, according to an internal police report and a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation,&#8221; the outlet noted.
All five suspects were &#8220;released without charges&#8221; on Sunday because, according to the State&#8217;s Attorney&#8217;s office, they were targeting each other.
A spokeswoman first claimed that prosecutors had “determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to approve felony charges,&#8221; without specifying what evidence might be necessary to bring charges the Chicago Police Department felt were warranted. A later said noted that “[m]utual combatants was cited as the reason for the rejection,&#8221; a designation the Sun-Times noted refers to &#8220;a fight or struggle that two parties willingly engage in.&#8221;
The Cook County prosecutor released another individual from custody last week for the same reason, despite indications that they were engaging in gang violence.
One source that spoke to Chicago media said prosecutors&#8217; recent decision not to charge suspected gang members when they target each other would only lead to more violence.
“It’s just like the Wild West,” the source told the Sun-Times.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot who, like Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, is a frequent critic of Foxx&#8217;s office, largely over Foxx&#8217;s lenient bail policies, which often let even violent offenders stay out of jail pending trial, warned that Foxx&#8217;s decision could send the city &#8220;into chaos.&#8221; Chicago is already looking at a record number of homicides and shootings in 2021, and according to <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2021/09/45-man-beat-shot-at-his-pregnant-girlfriend-while-free-on-felony-case-prosecutors-say.html">CWB Chicago, at least 45</a> of those incidents involved individuals out on bond.
“If they do not feel like the criminal justice system is going to hold them accountable, we’re going to see a level of brazenness that will send this city into chaos,” she said of suspected gang members. “And we cannot let that happen.”
“It’s complicated, for sure, but we really urge the state’s attorney herself to get personally involved, look at the evidence,” Lightfoot told media at a press conference on a separate issue. “And I believe that there are charges that can be brought at a minimum against the individuals who initiated the gunfire. We can’t live in a world where there’s no accountability.”
Foxx fired back that she doesn&#8217;t &#8220;play politics.&#8221;
“The mayor, as a former prosecutor, knows of the ethical obligations of the prosecutor, which is to only bring forth charges where the evidence and the law support it,” Foxx told reporters.
“I don’t play politics,” she continued. “We do prosecutions. And it’s why we do our best to not engage in public conversations about cases because we recognize that as tragic and horrific as these incidents are, that if we want to see criminal justice and accountability, we do that in the courtroom.”

Multiple Shooting On Chicago’s South Side Kills One, Injures Others

‘Like The Wild West’: Chicago Prosecutor Refuses To Charge, Releases Suspects In Gang-Related Gunfight

Chicago is on pace for a record-setting number of murders, and the city&#8217;s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, has struggled to address the spike in violence, focusing, largely, on issues like illegal gun trafficking and income inequality &#8212; issues that predate the 15% rise in shootings the city has seen over 2020, a year of similarly record-breaking violence.
On Tuesday, Lightfoot announced a new approach to curbing what appears to be a burgeoning gang war: an ordinance that would &#8220;allow the city to file lawsuits and go after gang members&#8217; and leaders&#8217; assets,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-mayor-introduces-ordinance-that-would-allow-city-to-sue-gang-members/2612226/">Chicago&#8217;s NBC affiliate</a>.
&#8220;The ordinance, which the Chicago Tribune reports could allow fines as high as $10,000 for each offense and give courts the ability to seize &#8216;any property that is directly or indirectly used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate street gang-related activity,&#8217; was introduced during a City Council meeting,&#8221; the outlet noted.
The idea is to &#8220;deprive the gangs of funds&#8221; by targeting gang leaders, Lightfoot said, when questioned whether the law would unfairly target low-income people of color living in gang-infested neighborhoods on the city&#8217;s south and west sides.
“We have an opportunity to bring these violent street gangs into civil court, out of the shadows, expose them for what they are,&#8221; Lightfoot said in a press conference announcing the measure. “And if we’re successful, and I think we will be, take their assets and the profit motive for killing our babies.”
There are already questions as to whether the law will even be effective, particularly given that a similar law, the Illinois Street Gang Prevention Act, has been in use in the Chicago suburbs for years with few results.
The American Civil Liberties Union told Chicago media that it is concerned that communities of color will be targeted and deprived of resources, given that the Chicago Police Department&#8217;s gang database contains the names of &#8220;thousands of people&#8221; who were unfairly labeled as gang members.
&#8220;It is astonishing to hear the Mayor and law enforcement officials pretend that this power would be used solely in a targeted fashion against gang members,&#8221; the ACLU said in a statement. &#8220;The City had to scrap use of its flawed gang database because it included thousands people without who had no history of gang membership or criminal involvement. It is hard to see how their capacity about who to target has improved since that time.&#8221;
Lightfoot and Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, though, are under pressure to do something about the near-record number of shootings. On Wednesday alone, <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/9/16/22677156/3-killed-13-shot-wednesday-in-chicago-including-16-year-old-boy">the Chicago Sun-Times</a> reported, 3 people were killed and 14 wounded in violent incidents across the city.
&#8220;According to newly-released crime statistics for the month of July, murders in the city were nearly the same as the number reported last year, but shootings increased by 15% and the number of people shot in the city rose by nearly 10% year-over-year,&#8221; NBC Chicago said in a separate report.
The numbers are somewhat misleading given that 2020 was a record year for violence in Chicago. Both 2020 and 2021&#8217;s numbers are &#8220;significantly higher than those recorded in 2019 when 290 people were killed in the first seven months of the year.&#8221; The current 2021 tally represents a &#8220;53.4% increase&#8221; over 2019.
As of Tuesday, gun violence was a greater threat to children in Chicago than COVID-19, according to the New York Post.
&#8220;The Windy City’s seen 261 kids shot in 2021, 41 fatally. Yet the entire state’s seen just 25 under-18s die with COVID, per the Illinois Department of Public Health,&#8221; the Post&#8217;s editorial board noted. &#8220;Nationwide, that count is 214 fatalities — and it only means they’d tested positive, not that the coronavirus was the cause of death.&#8221;
A previous version of this article stated Chicago has had a 15% rise in murders. It&#8217;s had a 15% rise in shootings.

Chicago Police Announce Federal Effort At Curbing Violence Via Illegal Gun Crack Down

Chicago Mayor’s New Strategy To Control Crime: Lawsuits Against Street Gangs

Six children were shot in just 12 hours in Chicago, and one &#8212; a four-year-old boy visiting relatives &#8212; was killed over a bloody holiday weekend in Chicago that saw nearly 70 people become shooting victims.
Chicago&#8217;s <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-mass-shootings-violence/11005712/">local ABC affiliate reported Tuesday</a> that at &#8220;least 63 people have been shot, six fatally, across Chicago since Friday evening, including several children.&#8221; Chicago police later confirmed that six children were shot.
&#8220;On Friday evening, a 4-year-old boy was shot in Woodlawn on the South Side,&#8221; ABC Chicago added. &#8220;The child was inside a home about 9 p.m. Friday in the 6500-block of South Ellis Avenue when bullets tore through the front window, striking him twice in the head, Chicago police said.&#8221;
The child was taken to a local hospital where he later died. His mother <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-chicago-boy-shooting-mychal-moultry-met-20210906-x6aeqm2zu5cfzg3eg445cjuo4a-story.html">told the Chicago Tribune</a> that neighbors are keeping tight-lipped about the shooting and have refused to speak to the police.
“The police don’t know anything yet because no one is talking. No one is coming forward,” the boy&#8217;s mother said. “People aren’t answering their doors, and the people that are answering their doors are saying they don’t know anything. Somebody in Chicago knows something.”
&#8220;He was the second 4-year-old shot in Chicago in a week, and the second 4-year-old killed in the city this year,&#8221; the <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2021/9/4/22657062/chicago-weekend-shootings-labor-day-homicide">Chicago Sun-Times noted</a>.
Over the weekend, 68 people were shot in Chicago and six died, continuing an upward trend in violence in the city. Chicago&#8217;s mayor Lori Lightfoot, who recently announced a slate of initiatives aimed at curbing illegal gun sales inside Chicago city limits, pinned the blame on individuals who refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
“The people in the neighborhoods who are doing the shooting, they are known to people in the neighborhoods,” she said at a press conference Tuesday morning. “I understand the fear that’s out there but I’m just calling upon people in these neighborhoods — particularly when we think about the number of children who have been shot — you’ve got to have your faith overcome your fear. You’ve got to step up.”
Lightfoot also said her office would announce further &#8220;gun violence&#8221; abatement measures but would not give details. The Biden administration committed, earlier in the summer, to send a task force to Chicago, as well as to other major cities, in order to combat illegal gun trafficking, but it is not clear what effect such programs might have. The problem of illegal gun trafficking predates the current streak of violence.
&#8220;In announcing crime statistics in Chicago for the month of August, police officials described &#8216;a challenging time across the city,&#8217; with 78 murders, or 22% more, for the month compared to August 2020. The city saw a 3% uptick in murders year-to-date compared to the past year,&#8221; Fox News reported on Monday. &#8220;And while shootings had decreased from 380 in August 2020 to 372 in August 2021, the number of shooting victims was up by three last month compared to the same month last year.&#8221;

Chicago Violence: 6 Children Shot, 1 Killed In 12 Hours Over Bloody Holiday Weekend

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot fired the latest salvo against the Chicago Police Department (CPD) in a press conference Wednesday, firing back at officers over comments made about a planned bagpipe tribute for fallen CPD officer Ella French that was scrapped by a deputy supervisor.
Lightfoot accused Chicago police of &#8220;hijack[ing]&#8221; fallen officer Ella French&#8217;s procession from the University of Chicago medical center to the Cook County medical examiner&#8217;s office when they massed to perform the tribute, as is reportedly traditional for the Chicago Police Department.
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-claims-covid-regulations-prevented-tribute-for-fallen-chicago-cop-thats-not-true-medical-examiner-says">The Daily Wire reported previously</a>, Lightfoot claimed the bagpipe tribute was scrapped because of COVID-19 concerns. The Cook County medical examiner&#8217;s office responded by telling a WGN reporter that there were no COVID-19 restrictions governing bagpipe tributes.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-lightfoot-claims-covid-regulations-prevented-tribute-for-fallen-chicago-cop-thats-not-true-medical-examiner-says">Chicago Sun-Times reported</a> that officers were told the tribute was called off because of time constraints and that a CPD deputy supervisor told officers readying for the tribute that &#8220;we don&#8217;t have time for this s***.&#8221;
“Ignoring a sacred ritual, [First Deputy Police Supt. Eric] Carter impatiently declared: ‘We don’t have 20 minutes for this s***.” He demanded the Chicago Fire Department ambulance bearing French’s body be taken directly into the medical examiner’s office, skipping the Emerald Society’s traditional playing of bagpipes,” the Sun-Times noted, based on a recording of the incident. “‘We’re not waiting on the bagpipes. Go ahead and get the vehicle inside.”
On Wednesday, in a contentious press conference, Lightfoot laid the blame on CPD, telling reporters that officers tried to &#8220;hijack&#8221; French&#8217;s procession, preventing the family from having adequate time with French&#8217;s body ahead of the autopsy.
&#8220;There was no official honor guard that night,&#8221; Lightfoot said.
&#8216;There was — let me choose my words carefully — a well-meaning but not well-organized group that wanted to hijack the procession, which would have meant that the family would have been delayed exponentially in getting to the morgue,&#8221; she added.
She then accused unnamed individuals of trying to &#8220;savage&#8221; the deputy supervisor who made the call.
&#8220;So the call was made, under those circumstances, to focus on the family,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Eric Carter made the right call. I support what he did and I&#8217;m horrified that in this moment people are trying to savage him for whatever agenda or purpose.&#8221;
Lightfoot went on to rail against the media for portraying a rift between the mayor and the police department, based on an incident that happened on Saturday, when Lightfoot appeared at the University of Chicago medical center to visit French&#8217;s partner, who was critically wounded in the same incident, only to find officers sitting vigil for their wounded colleague. Those officers &#8212; a group of about a dozen &#8212; turned their back on the mayor.
Chicago city alderman Matt O&#8217;Shea, who represents an area of the city home to many of Chicago&#8217;s police officers, told the Sun-Times that CPD is at a &#8220;breaking point&#8221; with Lightfoot.
“Our police officers have been under siege, under-appreciated, and thrown under the bus for the last year and a half,” O&#8217;Shea said.  &#8220;They feel — and rightfully so — that leadership across this country, across this city do not have their back.&#8221;
“Anybody who was working Saturday night as those calls came over the radio and they learned of what had happened to their colleagues — that’s a tipping point,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And it’s a tipping point that many of us have been waiting to happen as the unbelievable violence we see in communities all across this city, where criminals have absolutely no regard for human life, no fear of the consequences of their actions. To shoot at point-blank range two Chicago police officers. We are a city in crisis.”

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