Fioretti Vows To Hire New Cops If He Defeats Emanuel
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) said Monday he would hire 500 more police officers if he is elected mayor.
Fioretti, who is challenging Mayor Rahm Emanuel in next month's election, said Chicago residents are fed up with crime in all parts of the city, and he held Emanuel and Police Supt. Garry McCarthy responsible.
"They've been long on hype, but short on resources necessary to get the job done," Fioretti said.
He said the way to tackle crime is not just to use police officers in different ways, but to hire more of them.
"In addition to replacing the 500 police officers who retire or leave the force, I will hire 500 additional police officers. I have found the money in previous budgets, and we can find it in this one," Fioretti said.
So why didn't the City Council put more police officers into the 2015 budget?
"We've got too many lapdogs up there that say 'Yes, Mister Mayor.' That's it. 'Yes Mister Mayor,' and nothing changes," he said.
Where would he get the money?
"Last time we found it cutting through some of the contracts, and the excessive contracts that we had. We found ways even on some of the TIF [tax-increment financing]. We will use those same ways to find the necessary money to find 500 police officers," Fioretti said.
Tax-increment financing is property tax revenue set aside in so-called "blighted" communities, usually to fund development.
Four years ago, when Emanuel was running for mayor, he pledged to hire 1,000 new police officers, but instead ended up mostly shifting officers from desk duties and specialized units to patrol duty to put 1,000 more officers "on the streets."