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Mayor Brandon Johnson, who was sworn in earlier this year, was
one of the many to advocate for defunding the police in 2020
after Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, saying
“I don’t look at it as a slogan” and adding, “It’s an actual
political goal," during a podcast.
In Johnson's first budget after he was elected in April 2023,
the city proposed maintaining staffing at 14,137 full-time
positions while increasing funding to the police department by
5% to $1.99 billion.
In
2020 when Floyd's murder in Minneapolis set off a nationwide
movement to take resources away from police, the Chicago Police
Department had 14,709 full-time positions budgeted and spent
$1.76 billion.
The city reduced the police department by 614 positions and cut
funding by 2.7% in 2021 in the immediate aftermath of Floyd's
murder. Since then, the department has grown in size and
spending.
While the city maintained staffing levels for 2024 at the same
level as the previous year, the city reported a 30% increase in
crime in 2022. Murders were down 13% from 804 in 2021 to 699 in
2022, but the city stated property crime drove the spike in
crime and was up 44% and violent crime was up 1% in 2022 as
compared to 2021.
Johnson didn't respond to an attempt to get a comment from him
on police staffing levels and spending. But on the campaign
trail in 2023, Johnson said he wanted to increase police
staffing, according to NBC Chicago.
The Chicago Democratic Socialists of America party has run a
campaign to defund the city's police department. It didn't
respond to an email seeking comment.
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