You Think Things Are Bad In Chicago? Wait for 2022

Second City Cop has some observations. On Chicago: You Think It's Bad Now? | Chicago Contrarian

I write a lot about Chicago, because it was home for a very long time, but I don't think any other large city in America is that much different. Crime is out of control everywhere, and getting worse.

Oh, and things REALLY are bad in Chicago and Cook County.

It starts with an alderman asking why are there so many uniformed officers in HQ pushing paper that could be pushed by non-uniformed-employees. There are answers, and then the real question behind the question.

And why is Ervin asking this question? Why now? There isn’t anything in the news....not directly. But if you surf over to HeyJackass.com you might catch a glimpse of the reasons:

• Loot-a-palooza: If it’s slowing down, it’s only because the stores are leaving;
• Michigan Avenue occupancy: We heard it’s down nearly 20 percent, but the city is probably lying;
• Carjackings: It'll be 1,500 before the year ends;
• Homicides: Closing on 800 — up over 300 from two years ago.

By the way, Cook County recorded 1,000 homicides for the first time in twenty-seven years, so congratulations are due to Toni Preckwinkle, too.

Actually Chicago passed 800 homicides over the weekend. That is a number the city hasn't seen in decades.

And the cops? Between the "defund the police" nonsense, and city hall/brass screwing them over on days off and excessive overtime, cops are leaving.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lightfoot eliminated 600+ positions in the 2020 budget, the Department is experiencing a massive retirement wave (over 900 this year) and according to an e-mail we received yesterday, another 900 officers are declaring their intent to retire in 2022. We assume everyone saw the District bid lists for next year?

• A 20-to-25 percent manpower cut for all day watches across the city. We're talking about entire Districts being ALL 10-99 units and DOWN two-to-four beat cars....Every. Single. Day. Maybe Ervin is onto something?
  

None of this takes into account younger officers who just up and leave for other departments. We can say we have never seen the amount of officers leaving in the middle of their careers that we are seeing now. Conservatively, we’d estimate it at 250 this year alone, perhaps more.

Click thru for more details on the cops sheltered at HQ, on the fact that no one is taking the entrance exam, even though the city relaxed the standards. And more.

So what happens when carjackings double again, as they did over the past 5 years? What happens when murders top 1000 in the city? When all of the stores have been looted so much, by people immediately turned loose that they all close their doors? What happens when you call 911 and there is no one available to respond? What happens to our large cities then?