CHICAGO — The number of police officers is at or near record lows and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign pledge to add 200 more detectives is unfulfilled, despite his claims to the contrary, according to a WGN Investigates analysis of police staffing numbers.
As of September, Chicago had 1,662 fewer officers than it did in 2018, a decline of nearly 13 percent.
When a mob of people broke into and stole the contents of a stopped freight train on Chicago’s west side earlier this month, news helicopters hovered overhead as the train heist continued despite the arrival of police.
“They’ve come to learn that we can only do so much,” said retired Chicago police lieutenant John Garrido. “They see a small number of officers arrive, they know there’s more of them than us. The just hope they’re the ones who don’t get caught.”
The train robbery occurred on the border of two police districts that together have 170 fewer officers than they did in 2019, according to data from the city’s inspector general.