Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is asking for additional federal resources to help curb gun violence in the city.
Lightfoot asked the Justice Department to crack down on illegal guns and bring more local gun cases to the federal level, the mayor said in a speech Monday.
“I know that people are scared and emotions around public safety, specifically gun violence, including carjackings, are running high,” she said. “Public safety has been, is, and will continue to be my highest priority.”
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The mayor asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to send Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents to Chicago for six months to increase the enforcement of gun laws in the city. She also asked for more U.S. marshals to help the city work through outstanding warrants.
Lightfoot said the city has led an aggressive crackdown on illegal firearms in the city and has seized a record number of illegal guns this year while maintaining the city still has a lot more work to do on that front.
She argued that some of the increased crime in the city has been part of a national trend, citing increased crime in Los Angeles, New York City, and Austin.
“I think it’s important to share with you some context in which this fight is taking place,” she said. “Nationally, almost every major and midsize city in this country is experiencing similar challenges with violence at the same time.”
While the mayor said the city must address the root causes of poverty and neglect in an effort to curb violence, she pointed to the release of violent criminals as contributing to the rise in crime. She noted that at least 69 police officers were shot so far this year, the most in almost a decade.
She also criticized Cook County judges for releasing violent criminals on electronic monitoring, noting that over 50 people have been arrested on charges of murder while out on electronic monitoring. The court system has let over 2,300 offenders back onto the streets, Lightfoot said.
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With less than two weeks left in the year, the city had seen 783 murders in 2021 as of Sunday, according to data from the city. This compares to 749 murders in 2020 and 481 in 2019 at the same point. Total crime complaints during the same period are at 45,986 for 2021, compared to 44,863 for 2020 and 48,504 for 2019.
The United States is experiencing a national trend of increased crime in cities across the country. Parts of California, for example, have been subject to rampant retail theft. In November, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called on mayors in the state to crack down on crime and for prosecutors to be less lenient.
