Se habla Español | Wir sprechen Deutsch | Mówimy po polsku
Spanish Translation German Translation Polish Translation
Contact us for your initial consultation
847.577.8700
posted on 7/28/19

The relationship between Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Police Department is in the spotlight this week. Lightfoot made derogatory comments about the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Vice President Patrick Murray during a City Council meeting on July 24, 2019. While Murray walked up to the podium to speak, Mayor Lightfoot stated, “Back again. This is this FOB clown.” Naturally, Murray and police officers around the state are unhappy with Lightfoot calling a 30-year veteran law enforcement officer a clown.

When asked about the “clown” comment, she has repeatedly stated that she is sorry that she made that comment out loud. National FOP President Chuck Canterbury demands that the mayor apologize for thinking Murray is a clown, not merely for saying the comment out loud.

These Comments are Not The First Time Mayor Lightfoot Has Criticized Chicago PD

Mayor Lightfoot’s recent derogatory comments should not come as a surprise. The mayor has a storied history of publicly criticizing Chicago policing policies. She chose a retired U.S. Marshal to head her bodyguard detail. Traditionally, Chicago PD officers take this position. She also admitted that she heard an “unsubstantiated rumor” that the local FOP head instructed police officers to “lay back” and “do nothing” over Memorial Day weekend. Additionally, Lightfoot demands that Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson have weekly “accountability” meetings with her after each summer weekend. Chicago summer weekends are known to result in high numbers of crime and violence.

The Mayor’s Criticism of Chicago PD May Contribute to Chicago’s Recent Rise in Crime

The Chicago police union labels the mayor’s recent remarks as “contemptuous, misguided and dangerous” at a time when Chicago faces “chronic violent crime.” The adversarial nature of Mayor Lightfoot’s relationship with the Chicago Police Department is not a new development.

Her poor relationship with Chicago PD contributes to a general lack of morale among police officers, the number of arrests that Chicago PD makes, and an increase in drug and gun crimes. Many police officers feel the lack of support from their mayor as they try to carry out their duties, frequently in hazardous conditions.

The derogatory comments hurt the ability of Chicago police officers to feel supported by their government. Indeed, July has been a bloody month when it comes to violent crime in Chicago. As of today, 39 people have been shot and killed in Chicago just this July; 252 people have been shot and wounded. The total number of homicides for July is 44. Since January 2019, there have been 296 homicides in Chicago, and 1543 people shot.

If Mayor Lightfoot wants to reduce violent crime in Chicago, she needs to make amends with the Chicago Police Department. Her public support of Chicago PD would go a long way in deterring increasingly high crime rates. When police officers see and hear open hostility toward them from the mayor, they suffer from low morale that results in more crime.

Are You Facing a Criminal Charge in Cook County? We are Here to Help

Our skilled Chicago criminal defense attorneys represent criminal defense clients all over Cook, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and DuPage. To contact us, please fill out our online form for an initial consultation.

(image courtesy of Spenser)