MENU
SEARCH"It's like a preplanned police shortage," DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said. "The lack of logic is the thing that astounds me."
At least two suburban Chicago area sheriffs say they will send their deputies to help the Chicago Police Department only if city's officers are in distress or under duress.
They say they will not respond if Chicago is short-staffed because it has suspended officers in a dispute about a COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
Chicago has not asked for any help, the Daily Herald reports.
"ILEAS (the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System) typically responds to emergency situations where there is no opportunity for planning," Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said Tuesday. "This situation to me is much different."
"It's like a preplanned police shortage," DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said. "The lack of logic is the thing that astounds me."
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said officers who don't obey the city's vaccination mandate for its workers can be suspended. The deadline to be vaccinated was Oct. 15. As of Monday, only 64% of police had reported their status. The head of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge representing city officers has told officers they don't have to obey the mandate. The union is suing the city.
Hain said he is also concerned about criminal liabilities his officers might face if they shoot someone, or are accused of using excessive force, in Chicago.
He said he fears the officers would be subject to a different standard of review by the Cook County state's attorney because the Chicago department is operating under a federal consent decree requiring reform of the department's abuses.
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →
Take a look inside the expo at IACP 2025 to see a sampling of what is displayed for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →
Pro-gard has introduced HD Fender and Headlight Wraps for added front-end protection and a new P1300 Pro-Cell transport system for Ford F-150 and Super Duty models.
Read More →
Free officer-wellness training comes to Las Vegas Sept. 22–25: The Wounded Blue’s 5th Annual National Law Enforcement Survival Summit opens registration.
Read More →
When floodwaters overturned a vehicle in rural New Mexico, Officer Walker Eby risked his life—crawling over raging currents on a ladder—to rescue a woman, her child, and their dog.
Read More →
Birmingham, Alabama, hosted the 2025 World Police & Fire Games, and Ahmedabad, India, has been announced as the host city for 2029.
Read More →
The memorandum says D.C. is a Federal city and violent crime “prevents Federal workers from safely performing their duties and prevents Americans from safely accessing their elected officials.”
Read More →
