Chicago City Wire

Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson is promoting a plan to fill growing CPD vacancies that includes raising the retirement age to 67.

“We will increase the number of officers in each of the 22 police districts," Wilson said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "Currently, there are 2,000 vacant positions for sworn officers. I would do the following to fill these positions: We will eliminate the hiring exam. Reassign administrative personnel to fill duties. Create an auxiliary police unit staffed by retired officers. Rehire officers who have already left the Chicago Police Department … be able to transfer them into certain positions that will protect us,” Wilson said.

Wilson also proposes dividing the city into four separate areas, each with its own  police superintendent.

Wilson said his plan would also raise police salaries; reverse merit promotions, restore police morale by drawing the line between “mistakes and misconduct” and putting armed officers on CTA trains and buses to lure back riders who have abandoned the transit system.

Wilson has been under fire for suggesting violent criminals should be, “hunted down like rabbits.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot called Wilson's words "offensive," and accused him of denigrating “Black and Brown boys in our city.”