The Chicago Police Department has been under a lot of stress in recent months. Aside from a spike in murders, the department has lost three officers since mid-May--and are now worried about targeted violence against cops.
A member of the Chicago Police Department's SWAT team sent out an email to officers Monday, reporting that the department has received threats of violence from gang members.
The subject line said: "FYI--Officer safety." The email goes on to say "per area two detectives, phone calls were received in both the 3rd and 6th Districts in which the caller stated 'More police will be shot. Gangbangers in the area are passing the word. Every night they will be ambushing police in the Chatham area.'"
The police department confirmed to Fox that threats were made, and released a statement about how the department handles threats.
"Any time threats are made to police officers, we take this information very seriously," the statement read. "An alert was issued for personnel in those districts as well as every other district. These threats highlight the dangerous nature of police work. It also shows the lack of morals, decency and respect for human life these criminals have."
Meanwhile, city officials are arguing about whether Mayor Daley's plan to hire 100 more police officers is enough.
"If you divide that 100 by 25 districts, you have maybe four officers-per-district," Ald. Edward M. Burke said at a Wednesday City Council meeting. "Divide that by three shifts and what have you got?"
Burke suggested that off-duty police officers be asked to work shifts on their days off to combat the escalating gang violence. The Chicago Sun-Times reports:
"I'd like to see the superintendent think about a program that was pretty successful in the 1970's where off-duty officers can be hired back in the district to make up for personnel shortages. ... If there's an emergency now, if we need personnel now -- the Police Department ought to consider the hire-back ... of existing police officers to work days off."
Burke did not say how the officers would be paid, but union officials said they would demand that officers be paid at the time-and-a-half rate to work their off days.
The department is currently short 2,230 officers per day, below the city's budget-authorized 13,200.
The rush to get more police officers on the street comes after the tragic shooting of 62-year-old officer Michael Bailey. Bailey was gunned down Sunday while cleaning his new car after an overnight shift guarding Mayor Daley's home. He was weeks from retirement and still in uniform.
On July 7, Officer Thor Soderberg, 43, was fatally shot in the parking lot of an Englewood police building.
On May 19, officer and Iraq war veteran Thomas Wortham IV, 30, was killed in front of his home by men attempting to steal his motorcycle.