Chicago City Wire

Darren Bailey, the GOP gubernatorial candidate for Illinois gives his opinion on the latest decision by the Chicago Police Department to move police officers from specialized units to transit.

The solution, he said, is 'to ensure Chicago has enough officers to protect our communities.' 

"Obviously, we need to protect public transit and doing more to protect people who use public transportation is extremely important," Bailey said. "But the solution here is not to move officers around." 

He pointed out that Chicago has more than enough police officers to protect the communities. "The priority should be the safety of our residents. This means hiring more police officers and creating an environment that makes it easier – not harder – to recruit police officers"

According to a recent report of FOX 32 Chicago, around 180 officers from the Chicago Police Department tasked with combating gangs and drugs are being reassigned to other divisions such as public transit.

The Chicago Police Department's leadership, as well as Mayor Lori Lightfoot, have been criticized for the city's police officers' poor working conditions. "All days off (RDOs) for police officers have once again been cancelled," Cook County Commissioner candidate Matt 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."

Bailey, who is expected to give Governor J.B. Pritzker a close race this November, has received the support of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police due to his pledges to repeal the harshly condemned SAFE-T Act. Bailey stated that his administration would "stop trying to make police the enemy," KHQA reported.