Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) stated Tuesday her plan for addressing crime is “working” despite recent data showing major crime increased by 41 percent in 2022.
As Lightfoot prepares to run for reelection the upcoming mayoral race, with the first round set for 28, she has recently claimed her administration has done an adequate job handling the city’s crime crisis.
On January 10, Lightfoot shared a campaign ad on Twitter, claiming that she is putting more police officers on the streets while getting more guns off them. “When it comes to addressing crime in our city, I’ve got a plan — and it’s working.” the incumbent mayor stated in the tweet that promoted the ad.
Five days earlier, Lightfoot attacked one of her mayoral opponents, Paul Vallas, after he stated that “crime is out of control in Chicago” and that he would put more police officers on streets and public transpiration.
Lightfoot responded: “Paul, do your homework. We’re already doing all of this — holding dangerous people accountable, tackling gangs and gun violence, making equitable investments in our communities — and will continue to make Chicago safer. Much more to do, but we are on the right path.”
However, the Chicago Police Department released data for major crime complaints in 2022, showing that crime increased by 41 percent. Furthermore, since Lightfoot came into office three years ago, crime has risen by 33 percent.
Much of the crime in Chicago has been primarily driven by carjackings, which increased by 102 percent since last year and by 139 percent from three years ago. Theft also significantly increased by 56 percent in 2022, while robbery and burglary both rose by 14 percent.
While homicides decreased by 14 percent from last year, 2022 was the fourth-worst year for murder since the 1990s, only being beaten out by 2021, 2020, and 2016, CWB Chicago reported.
Chicago police reported 695 murders last year, while the Chicago Tribune reported 723 murders; however, homicide data from the department was allegedly not properly classified last year, according to CWB Chicago.
Chicago’s police has dramatically dwindled since Lightfoot took office, going from 13,302 officers in 2019 to 11,731 this past month–a total net loss of 1,571 officers, CWB Chicago reported, citing the Office of the Inspector General.
Furthermore, while Lightfoot frequently boasts about having added more officers to the force, the city’s police department still experienced a net loss of 169 officers last year.
The incumbent mayor is currently running for reelection but is facing a fierce challenge from Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), who is potentially well-positioned to unseat her, according to local reports. However, both Lightfoot and Garcia have recently come under scrutiny for being linked to Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of crypto exchange FTX, WTTW reported.
A Republican has not occupied the mayor’s office in the Windy City since 1931.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
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