Chicago City Wire

Presumptive Chicago mayoral candidate Frederick Collins pledges to return the law and order in the city of Chicago.

He urges Chicagoans to help and support him "institute new reforms and bring about the revival and renewal of our great American city while there is still time."

"As mayor, I will immediately place into action a citywide plan to stop the blatant deadly crime sprees and carjackings that have plagued our city, our communities and businesses too," the 29-year veteran Chicago Police officer said on Facebook. "Thus causing the citizens of our great city to feel unsafe and fearful within their own neighborhoods."

According to him, "crime has found a way to destroy Chicago," which he wants to address with his public safety plan. Collins said he will firstly and strictly enforce curfew laws to ensure that "children are safe at home and not out on the streets committing crimes or becoming victims of a crime." He also plans to implement stop and frisk laws using new technologies such as police body cameras to ensure that there is public transparency and trust within a must-needed proactive tool of public safety. 

"No. 2 of my plan would be to immediately choose a new superintendent for the Chicago Police Department from the City of Chicago and from within its ranks," Collins said. "I will also remove the useless and destructive policies such as the 'DO NOT CHASE POLICY' implemented by the 'MAYOR LIGHTFOOT' administration that has severely 'BLOCKED' our brave men and women in uniform from effectively being able to do their job of 'PROTECTING' the citizens of this great city. Also, under my administration, the violent offenders whom seek to commit carjackings, senseless shootings and brazen robbery of businesses will be placed on notice on day one that their reign of terrorizing the taxpaying citizens of our city will be over. I will do what is legally necessary to protect our children, citizens and businesses of our great city of Chicago."

In 2020, there were 762 homicides in the city of Chicago, Chicago City Wire reported. This is up from 491 in 2019, an increase of 55%. Experts have said the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread rioting of 2020 are to blame. When there is societal breakdown like what happened in 2020, this happens. Many of the cases will go unsolved; in 2016, Chicago Police has only solved 21% of its murders.

"The (third) part of my plan is to immediately start the hiring and recruitment of '20,000 new Chicago Police officers' within four years and the promotion of '3,000 new Chicago police detectives' to better handle current crimes as well as a backlog of cold cases," he said.

The City of Chicago reported 692 carjackings year to date through June 16, 2021. This is up 65% from 2020 and 497% from 2015. According to the Chicago City Wire, only 5% of carjackers were arrested in 2020, and 7% in 2021. Many of the carjackers are repeat offenders who were previously arrested and let back out onto the street.

On April 6, there were eight homicides in the city of Chicago over the course of 26 hours, Chicago City Wire reported. The city’s murder rate is up 55% since March of 2020. In 2021, the city recorded 797 murders, which is the most since 1996. This spike in the murder rate accompanies a spike in other crimes across the city, and many blame the failure to lock up criminals. Much of the chaos in Chicago today stems from Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx’s 2016 decision to only charge shoplifting over $1,000, which basically legalized theft.

According to Collins' campaign website, he was acknowledged and presented with several awards from 1994 to 2019 from the Mayor of Chicago's office, Chicago Superintendent Police office and Cook County States Attorney's office "for his dedication, teamwork and commitment for his service and performance in the line of duty, which led to a historic decrease in crime activity within the City of Chicago."