Does Chicago Need 500 to 1,000 More Cops to Stop City Violence? (POLL)

CHICAGO — Alderman are calling on the city to add anywhere from 500 to 1,000 more Chicago police officers in order to stem the increasing murders and gun violence this year, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

These officers would be in addition to openings the Chicago Police Department currently needs to fill because of attrition, the report stated. Currently, the department has around 12,200 sworn officers and 468 sworn vacancies, the report added.

The aldermen's demands come less than a week after 40th Ward Ald. Pat O'Connor, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's City Council floor leader, said Chicago would hire hundreds more police officers this year.

Currently, the department has been using increased overtime shifts to deal with its officer shortage. Last year, the department spent $116.1 million on OT, a record amount, according to the Sun-Times. But that can't continue if the city wants to curb the violence that has been making Chicago the subject of national headlines.

“Officers are fatigued …," 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer, one of the leaders demanding more officers, told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. "They’re gonna get tired. They’re not gonna be at their best. We need a fresh crop of officers paired with experienced officers.”

RELATED: Mayor Plans to Hire More Cops in Chicago

Sawyer was joined by 45th Ward Ald. John Arena and 12th Ward Ald. George Cardenas on Wednesday in an attempt to rally support behind the idea of beefing up the police department's ranks. During his 2011 mayoral campaign, Emanuel promised to hire 1,000 more officers, and Arena told the Sun-Times that the mayor needs to deliver on that promise now.

Adding the number of officers the aldermen are asking for could cost the city around $50 million to $100 million, the report stated.

Arena suggested cutting back on police overtime to pay for the new hires, the report added. If still more money was needed, the alderman said the Illlinois General Assembly could empower the City Council to impose a city income tax that could potentially generate as much as $400 million, according to the report.

YOUR TURN: Does the Chicago Police Department need 500 to 1,000 more officers? Or is there a better solution to stemming the violence in the city? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section. Plus, take Patch's poll on the topic.

More via the Chicago Sun-Times

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