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

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

A hearing zeroed 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 spoke 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. Some community groups are critical of what Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling has proposed so far for his department.

Snelling appeared in the City Council chambers Friday to discuss the work and needs of the department.

"There needs to be a level of education about what police officers do on a daily basis and the challenges they face," Snelling said.

Many comments mentioned the recent death of Officer Enrique Martinez who was shot and killed during a traffic stop.

"What just happened to our officer is a reminder of the dangers that are out there," Snelling said.

The proposed budget for CPD for fiscal year 2025 is $2.1 billion, up 3% from fiscal year 2024.

With the mayor's property tax increase voted down, alderman have opinions about where to make cuts in city spending and the potential impact of safety.

"It's not enough to vote against property taxes. We all know that is not an option," 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said. "What is critical is where we get the revenue, and also we talk about cutting expenses, we already have a huge police department budget."

"We have to look at what we can do more efficiently better because we spent almost 50% of our money is public safety," 28th Ward Ald. Jason Ervin said.

"I don't know that we have any other choices certainly we don't want to raise property taxes so if that's our only alternative to cut the 400 vacancies, I'm fine with it," 38th Ward Ald. Nick Sposato said.

"By cutting budgets, cutting mental health services, cutting community police, these things in my opinion would take away from the effectiveness of our officers," 29th Ward Ald. Chris Taliaferro said.

Among ways to save money, there was discussion about getting more reimbursement from special event planners, and Snelling contends new helicopters will increase efficiency and reduce exposure to pricey lawsuits if officers want to pursue vehicles.

Some community members voiced concern about funding CPD as proposed. A group spoke 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.

A new city budget is needed by Dec. 31.