Chicago City Wire

Donald Muhammad, founder of the Donald Muhammad Consulting Group, said on X that Chicago requires National Guard support and stronger policing. He argued that policies from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor J.B. Pritzker have contributed to lawlessness.

"I fully support the National Guard being deployed in and around Chicago," said Muhammad. "Mayor Brandon Johnson's refusal to let the men and women of the Chicago Police Department actually do their jobs has made things worse. I stand with the officers who still choose to serve despite being handcuffed by politics. Chicago deserves better. Our people deserve peace."

The debate over National Guard involvement in Chicago has intensified as city leaders challenge federal deployment efforts, emphasizing local control of public safety. In August 2025, Mayor Johnson publicly opposed potential National Guard action, asserting that the city had received no formal notice and would focus on community-based strategies. Subsequent actions from City Hall included directives limiting federal civil-immigration enforcement on city property, underscoring the administration’s stance. This context frames calls from civic voices who argue that Guard support is necessary to restore order in hard-hit areas.

According to official Chicago Police Department year-end statistics, there were notable declines in key violent crime categories in 2024 compared with 2023. The department reported homicides were down 8% year-to-date, while shooting incidents and shooting victims also fell to their lowest levels since 2019. These figures reflect department initiatives such as targeted deployments, community partnerships, and technology-driven strategies. While year-to-year trends can vary by district and offense type, the 2024 report documents a citywide improvement that provides a quantitative baseline for evaluating current policy debates on policing and public safety.

Illinois eliminated cash bail statewide on September 18, 2023, implementing a pretrial release framework under the SAFE-T Act after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the law. Under this system, judges make detention decisions based on risk and flight factors rather than a defendant’s ability to pay, with a presumption of release for many nonviolent offenses. Supporters argue the reform promotes fairness; critics contend it restricts judicial discretion and may affect accountability. The shift remains central to statewide public-safety debates, including criticism from Chicago stakeholders who link the policy to concerns about repeat offenses.

Muhammad is a Chicago-based executive protection and security consultant with more than a decade of experience in risk mitigation, protective services, and security operations. His professional background includes security planning, personal protection, security auditing, and strategy implementation for high-profile clients.