Chicago Alderman Hopkins: We’re Short on Officers in Midst of ‘Crime Epidemic’ Because of ‘Anti-Police Environment, Nationwide’

On Saturday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” Chicago Alderman Brian Hopkins stated Chicago’s police force is facing an officer shortage due to problems recruiting officers in “an anti-police environment, nationwide.” And that this comes in the midst of “a crime epidemic in Chicago.”

Hopkins stated, “Right now, actually, we’re down probably about 10% from what would normally be our fully-staffed levels. That has nothing to do with vaccination and everything to do with the difficulty in recruiting and training police officers in what really is an anti-police environment, nationwide. So, we’re leaning in against that right now, and we have a crime epidemic in Chicago. We’re seeing an increase in armed robberies, carjackings, daytime shootouts in residential neighborhoods and crowded downtown streets.”

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