Budget hearing Friday focusing on Chicago police funds, as aldermen look to close nearly $1B deficit

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's financial crisis is front and center at City Hall.

A hearing Friday is zeroing in on the police department's budget, as the city faces a nearly billion-dollar budget shortfall.

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This comes after the City Council voted to shut down Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed property tax increase of $300 million.

City Council is meeting with different departments to discuss their needs when it comes to the city budget.

Chicago police leaders are speaking with council members Friday, as they work to figure out how to make up for the city's budget deficit, and pass a budget before the end-of-year deadline.

Mayor Johnson's current proposal includes a plan to cut 400 vacant positions within CPD.

And some community groups are critical of what police Superintendent Larry Snelling has proposed so far for his department.

A group was speaking outside City Hall Friday morning, taking issue with things like increases in funding for SWAT teams and the marine/helicopter unit.

"I lost my brother to gun violence. I found him lying in the alley with gunshot wounds to his chest. I remember the trauma, the loss and the feeling of being left to pick up the pieces alone. We didn't need more policing, what we need was support. I needed mentors and resources that could help prevent tragedies likes this from happening the first place," said Reynia Jackson, with GoodKidsMadCity.

The mayor said he's standing by his "values" of no layoffs or cuts that "invest in people."

But the CPD funding Johnson wants to slash would help the department with a federal consent decree, established after the police shooting of Laquan McDonald.

ABC7 Chicago obtained a letter from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sent to the mayor via a Freedom of Information Act request.

It said the city risks "being held in contempt of court for failing to comply with the consent decree."

Johnson defended his police reform efforts, saying the city has hired more detectives to create better supervision.

On Thursday, 32 aldermen were also expected to file an amendment to include gunshot detection technology in the 2025 budget.

The proposal is $15.8 million for gunshot detection technology.

ShotSpotter is set to be fully disabled Nov. 22.