Chicago City Wire

Chicago is in line with other large American cities in the sharp drop in arrests over the past 10 years, reports The Center Square. Add to that the fact that the city’s police complement has been falling off – nearly 1,700 fewer police officers since 2019 -- and that’s a formula for a continuing increase in crime.

The Center Square noted that besides the fall off in the number of officers, experts also point to “prosecutors deferring prosecution and frustrating officers, difficulty in hiring new officers leading to a shortage, and risks of social media ‘canceling.’”

"Morale is at an all-time low to which I have never seen before and unfortunately this leads to a lack of desire to be pro-active for fear of reprisal," Mike Willis, national training and programs director for the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association, said in an email to The Center Square.

CPD Chief Larry Snelling | City of Chicago

In Chicago, Superintendent Larry Snelling recently told City Council that the Department can keep pace with attrition and promotions in 2024.

“…given that 450 candidates are at the police academy right now, with another class starting in November and plans to churn out 75 recruits a month through 2024,” he was quoted in the Sun-Time as saying.

“To fill the vacancies, we really have to … revamp the way that we’re recruiting right now. Part of that is to start to recruit from communities. This is part of rebuilding the trust and regaining the trust of the community,” Snelling said.

Others are more skeptical.

Second City Cop, a pro-police blog followed by 50,000, said that an exodus of cops – just one reason for declining complement – is still going on, despite what Snelling told City Council.

Moreover, the blog noted that 1,146 cops are close to 50-years-old.

“Twenty-and-out is a way of life on the CPD now," Second City Cop said. "You're actually young enough to start a second career for ten or fifteen years. Plus all those cops over 60? They don't have to declare a thing.”

Finally, Second City Cop said that they almost certainly have to lower standards to attract more recruits. 

"There are no vehicle chases, foot chases are all but banned, using any sort of Force means you're off the street for the entire tour and will be answering questions with an FOP lawyer shortly thereafter," it stated. "All that teaches cops to do is disengage even more, so burglaries go up, carjackings skyrocket, robberies galore and street 'takeovers' / weekend 'wildings' make tourists decide to spend their money somewhere else."