Mayor Johnson’s office is talking layoffs, and the police will bear the brunt. Every Chicago mayor who significantly reduced police strength saw crime surge. That’s not a coincidence.
— Paul Vallas (@PaulVallas) July 18, 2026
Mayor Emanuel eliminated more than 1,500 police positions, and murders increased by 61%. Mayor… pic.twitter.com/8ywg8EJBMP
Mayor Johnson’s office is talking layoffs, and the police will bear the brunt. Every Chicago mayor who significantly reduced police strength saw crime surge. That’s not a coincidence.
Mayor Emanuel eliminated more than 1,500 police positions, and murders increased by 61%. Mayor Lightfoot eliminated roughly 1,500 positions, and murders increased by 83%.
Police shortages are already so severe that nearly half of all high-priority 911 calls have no available squad car when they come in. Detective shortages mean that only 25% of murders, 6% of non-fatal shootings, 10% of assaults, and just 2% of sexual assaults result in an arrest.
Any cost savings from reducing police strength are offset by soaring overtime costs, which are now nearly triple what they were when the department was at full staffing levels. The city has already spent $137 million—77% of its overtime budget—in just the first six months of this year because of existing police shortages.
The Mayor’s office is once again proving that shortsighted decisions come with long-term consequences.
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