Chico Pledges 2,000 New Police Officers by End of First Term

(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico rolled out a five-point plan to crack down on crime today that would strengthen police presence in Chicago neighborhoods, expand community policing and tackle gang violence. At a press conference in Marquette Park, within Chicago’s 8th Police District where the city’s index crime rate is the highest, Chico vowed to put 2,000 more officers on the street by the end of his first term in office.

Noting the increase in violence against police officers as an indication of a dangerous indifference to the law, Chico said protecting the citizens is the mayor’s most important job.

“It’s time to face the harsh reality that gang violence and crime are stealing our children and stealing our communities,” Gery Chico said. “Chicago must be a city that protects its own and if I’m fortunate enough to be elected mayor, we will take major steps to stop the violence and make Chicago a better, safer place for everyone to live.”

To deploy an additional 2,000 police officers on the street, Chico would restructure the Chicago Police Department (CPD), streamline its resources and eliminate “top-heavy” excessive management to make the department more effective and efficient. To cut more costs, Chico would weed out duplication and better coordinate centralized “special units,” as well as shift sworn, capable officers who perform office duties to District Law Enforcement.

Chico would bring back and expand community policing programs like CAPS, which have fallen victim to budget cuts over recent years. He would encourage greater coordination between the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the Chicago Police Department, while leveraging partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to combat crime and increase efficiency.

“When we work together, we work smarter and we can be even more effective in fighting crime,” Chico said. “There are currently eight layers of command between the superintendent and the district commanders. The last place we should have any bloated bureaucracy is in the organization responsible for public safety.”

Chico would crack down on gang violence by expanding the Ceasefire program to all high-crime areas in Chicago and passing a stronger Gang Loitering ordinance.

“Gangs are a menace on our city that must be wiped out,” Chico said.

Chico’s record on public safety is solid. As mayoral chief of staff, Chico helped deploy more than 1,000 new officers on the street. Chico also created and implemented community policing programs, and helped facilitate the construction of new police facilities that increased police presence in neighborhoods citywide.

Chico has been endorsed by several public safety organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7, Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, the Mexican American Police Organization (MAPO), the Latin American Police Association (LAPA), and the Chicago Police Sergeants Association.

“I have made Chicago a safer place to work and live throughout my life, whether it was building parks in communities or putting more cops on the street. As mayor, I’ll do it again,” Chico said.