'I'm out of here': Chicago police are leaving the force at twice normal rate
'Who wants to stay in this environment? There is no incentive to stay anymore'
By WND News Services
Published August 18, 2020 at 6:08pm
By Jake Dima
Daily Caller News Foundation
Chicago police officers are retiring at rates twice the average rate, according to law enforcement leaders who blame strenuous working hours and lack of support from the mayor for the exodus, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.
A total of 59 officers will retire in August and another 51 retirements are set for the month of September, vice president of the board of trustees for the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago Michael Lappe told the Chicago Sun-Times. The recent totals are more than double the average rate of monthly retirement of 24 officers, Lappe told the Times.
“From the time I walked in to police headquarters to the time I left, which was about 35 minutes, there were nine or 10 officers who approached me and said they were leaving,†former chairman of the city council’s police committee Anthony Beale told the local outlet. “Every person who walked past me said, ‘Hey, Beale, I’m out of here.’â€
Total retirements in 2020 have reached 335 through the end of July compared to 475 for all of last year and 339 for the entirety of 2018, according to the Times. President of the Fraternal Order of Police John Catanzara attributes the uptick in retirements to a lack of support from Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the outlet reported.
“Who wants to stay in this environment? If you have the ability to leave, there is no incentive to stay anymore,†Catanzara told the Times. “The mayor doesn’t back us. If you have the financial ability to do so, I don’t blame a single soul for leaving.â€
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https://www.wnd.com/2020/08/chicago-police-leaving-force-twice-normal-rate/