A record wave of retirements in Chicago's police force has resulted in gang members outnumbering cops nine to one.
Police Superintendent David Brown previously announced last year that there are about 117,000 gang members within the city's 55 known gangs. However, there are only about 13,000 police officers and the number is expected to decrease amid a record number of retirements expected to occur in 2021.
"We are on track, I believe, to have one of the highest retirement numbers in the city"s history," said Alderman Ray Lopez.
Lopez claimed Mayor Lori Lightfoot's anti-police stances have demoralized officers and are part of the reason why many are leaving the force.
So far, there have been 363 officers who have left the department since January. In previous years, Chicago saw 560 retirements in 2020, 475 in 2019, and 339 in 2018. However, the city has experienced five fewer homicides than the same time last year.
Source: NY Post
