Chicago City Wire

Former mayoral candidate and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas raised concerns over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s use of police resources for his personal security as Chicago continues to face rising crime and shrinking police presence on streets, in schools and on public transit.

“As we near budget season in Chicago, residents should know that Mayor Johnson’s security detail reportedly may have as many as 150 officers,” Vallas wrote on X. “That’s more than the 130 full-time officers assigned to the CTA to cover 79 stations, 146 platforms and 335 trains.”

Vallas highlighted the contrast between the mayor’s security spending and public safety priorities.

“The cost of the mayor's detail likely exceeds $30 million a year,” Vallas said.

The focus on the CTA comes after President Donald Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a warning to Chicago in late September over a surge in transit crime on CTA property amid a decline in police presence. Duffy criticized local leaders for “putting the needs of criminals first.”

Crime on Chicago’s transit system remains high, with one incident reported every three hours and only 45% resulting in arrests. Transit workers and unions have called for reinstating a dedicated transit police force. Recent violent incidents on multiple CTA lines, including assaults, attempted murder and robberies, have raised concerns about rider and worker safety.

“No worries,” Vallas added sarcastically. “The mayor’s going to offset those costs by getting rid of the ‘Police Mounted Patrol,’ beloved by the community and strongly supported by Chicago’s ‘Gold Star’ families.”

The mounted unit, known for its visibility in parks and downtown areas, costs just over $600,000 annually to maintain, according to Vallas, a fraction of the mayor’s alleged security expenses.

Vallas also criticized the administration’s decision, backed by Mayor Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union, to remove all school resource officers (SROs) from Chicago high schools by the 2024–25 academic year.

“Note that while 150 officers protect the Mayor, thanks to Stacy Davis Gates and CTU pressure, there are no police officers assigned to schools to deter active shooters,” Vallas said. “This comes despite the tripling of school shootings across the country the past decade and Chicago leading the nation in youth violence.”

“Incompetency on full display.”

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) supported Vallas’ stance, warning that removing SROs from Chicago Public Schools could increase the risk of violence on campuses.

Reporting from SubXNews noted that Johnson’s security is managed by CPD’s Unit 544 and reportedly includes more than 100 officers guarding the mayor, his home and City Hall, significantly more than mayoral protection details in other major U.S. cities.

Johnson has not directly addressed the number of officers on his security detail, but when asked during a recent press conference whether he would consider reallocating some of those officers to frontline policing, he offered a broad response.

“So we’re very proud of the work that we are doing collectively to ensure that our police officers have the resources they need,” Johnson said, according to SubXNews. “As I've said repeatedly, it's policing and affordable housing, it's policing and youth employment, it's policing and mental behavior healthcare services. It's going to take all of us, the business community.”

Johnson’s comments have done little to quell growing frustration among residents and critics.

A 2024 Illinois Policy Institute poll found that 73% of Chicagoans want a larger police presence, while only 12% support reducing police staffing, a trend that contradicts the Johnson administration’s ongoing shift of police functions to civilian roles.

Since taking office, Johnson has eliminated 833 vacant police positions and proposed converting 400 more into civilian jobs.

Meanwhile, violent crime remains elevated, and arrest rates are down, with only 11% of violent crimes resulting in an arrest in 2023, compared to 19% in 2013.

Vallas, who lost to Johnson in the 2023 runoff election by 26,448 votes in an election with 612,514 total votes cast, has remained a vocal critic of the mayor’s public safety policies.

“The failure to provide enough officers creates a catch-22 situation as police shortages contribute to increased crime, increased crime requires additional police coverage,” Vallas previously wrote in an op-ed published by Illinois Policy.