Chicago City Wire

News earlier this week that 21 Chicago Police Department officers had been stripped of their police powers for refusing to disclose their COVID vaccination status came amid the city's surging crime levels and the CPD asking suburban cops for help.

Most of the officers who lost their badges on Oct. 18, had been assigned to CPD's Bronzeville headquarters, WGN9 reported, citing information from Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara. The union represents police in Chicago.

WGN9 also reported on Oct. 19 that CPD Superintendent David Brown said 67% of the department's employees, civilians and officers, reported their vaccination status. Of those, 82% reported they were vaccinated.

Brown blamed misinformation for officers who haven't shared their vaccination status.

"Even though we’ve tried to inform our employees of the vaccine mandate, many are misinformed through various sources," Brown said. "An officer should be able to rely on some of their union leadership for accurate information and many have been misinformed."

The union already has been playing tough about the mandate and things were heating up last week. On Oct. 14, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot repeated during a press conference that all city workers had until the following day to upload their COVID vaccine status. Those who admit to being unvaccinated will be required to undergo weekly testing at their own expense.

"Because it's on all of us to do our part to make sure that we continue to educate our workers, that we continue to maximize the opportunities that the lifesaving, safe and free vaccine gives us," Lightfoot said during her press conference, ahead of her City Council update. "And we have to make sure that we continue to do that hard and necessary work."

Lightfoot's reiteration came despite the police union's threats that its members would ignore her demand.

The faceoff between the city and police union comes amid a rising crime rate.

"This is a crisis," 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins said in a Fox 32 news story. "It's something we've never faced before and if we don't resolve it, I fear for the future of our city to live and work and raise your family."

15th Ward Alderman Raymond Lopez pushed for more CPD officers, saying, "no officers means no arrests."

Fewer CPD officers means crime across the city, 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale warned.

"It's now the entire city of Chicago, because now the people who create these heinous crimes, they're saying if I’m not going to be chased, let me go to the more affluent areas and get more bang for my buck," Beal said.

Meanwhile, suburban Chicago police departments have been asked to volunteer to help out CPD.  A meeting between state police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency resulted in an email request to more than a dozen suburban departments who have been asked to voluntarily assist Chicago, WGN9 reported Oct. 18.

Response from those suburban departments has not been entirely positive.

"I believe the polarization between the community and police is only reinforced by current Chicago politics," Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said in a statement issued Oct. 20. "I will not send my personnel to Chicago, unless an officer is under direct duress, because I cannot support this slanted agenda."