Democrat Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is facing reelection this year, said her plan to fight crime is working, even though statistics show overall criminal complaints rose 41% in 2022 over 2021.
A campaign ad posted Tuesday on Lightfoot's Twitter account said Lightfoot is "putting more police on the streets and getting more guns off of them."
It said she has invested more than any mayor in new strategies and technology, and that she won't quit until Chicago is "the safest big city in America."
But data released by the Chicago Police Department showed there were 66,855 criminal complaints filed in 2022, a 41% spike over the 47,452 filed in 2021. In fact, in her three years in office, criminal complaints are up 33% and the murder rate is up 39%.
Democrat Paul Vallas, one of eight challengers to Lightfoot in the mayoral race, which will be decided Feb. 28, tweeted Jan. 5 that "crime is out of control in Chicago, and we need a mayor who will put your safety first." Vallas was endorsed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.
Lightfoot responded in a tweet, writing, "Paul, do your homework. We're already doing all of this — holding dangerous people accountable, tackling gangs and gun violence, making equitable investments in our communities — and will continue to make Chicago safer. Much more to do, but we are on the right path."
The police data did show murders were down 14% from 2021, with 695 in 2022 vs. 804 in 2021. But thefts were up 56% and motor vehicles thefts were up 102% from the year before.
Rising crime rates aren't the only issue surrounding Lightfoot's reelection campaign. On Wednesday, it was widely reported that her deputy campaign manager sent emails to Chicago Public Schools teachers to recruit students for her campaign in exchange for class credit. Lightfoot apologized Thursday and promised to cooperate with investigations conducted by the city and school district.
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