Chicago City Wire

Cook County Commissioner candidate Matt Podgorski is decrying the way the City of Chicago has been treating its police force.

He said allowing the officers to work without rest days is "unacceptable."  He said he is disappointed with the top “leadership” of the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.  

"All days off (RDOs) for police officers have once again been cancelled," Podgorski wrote on Facebook. "All officers are required to work through Father’s Day (at least). Because the CPD failed to recruit, hire, and staff at adequate numbers, Chicago’s Finest are forced to work 12, 16, even 20 days in a row, without a single day off. That is unacceptable."

The Republican activist called out authorities asking: "does Mayor Lightfoot work seven days a week?" and if the "Deputy Chiefs and the Superintendent work 20 days in a row."

"Mayor Lightfoot:  Do your job, and create an environment where people actually want to become Chicago Police Officers," Podgorski added. "Plan properly, so that police officers can get the rest they need to be able to do their job effectively. You wouldn’t dare even ask, let alone force, any other city employee to work 20 days in a row.  But you have no problem dumping on police officers."

The lack of adequate planning, he said, "has now become ~10,000 police officers’ and their families’ problem."

"Police officers are much less effective when they are not properly rested," Podgorski emphasized. "They are more agitated when they are denied time off to unwind and spend time with family and friends. This increases the risk of escalation during police interactions. Not only are the police officers suffering, but their families are as well."  

Podgorski, the founder of Northwest Side GOP Club, is running on a platform of "reduced taxes." 

A substantial rise in violent crimes, notably in Chicago and Cook County in 2021, has been attributed by Republicans to lax anti-crime policies. 

Polling indicates that the Democratic Party is losing popularity as a result of the leadership issue on crime. In a Chicago suburb, Gov. J.B. Pritzker lagged behind GOP rivals, according to a Tulchin Research survey earlier this year. Crime was the main concern of the respondents, Lake County Gazette reported.