Mayor Rahm Emanuel could wring $300 million from the combined $1.8 billion budgets of Chicago’s police and fire departments, in part by dramatically altering union contracts that expire June 30, an alderman said Thursday.“There’s no more sacred cows when the taxpayers are hurting like they are,” said Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), former chairman of the city council’s police and fire committee.
Beale has already angered the Fraternal Order of Police by suggesting that the city scrap the $1,800-a-year uniform allowance officers get as well as duty-availability pay — a $2,800-a-year lump sum that compensates cops for being on call at any time.
Now, he’s going further.
Instead of having the same number of officers assigned to every watch and police district, Beale suggests putting them when and where the crime is.
That would allow Emanuel to eliminate 1,400 police vacancies and shrink the force through attrition, he said.
“I know it’s an unpopular thing to say ... but if you put the officers where they’re needed vs. where they’re wanted, you could see a reduction,” Beale said. “If we’re gonna make the entire city safe, we can do it with less officers.”
Instead of doling out annual uniform checks, Beale wants to switch to a voucher system to save as much as $50 million a year.
Officers who need shirts, pants and jackets would get reimbursed. Those who don’t would get nothing.
Arguing that overtime is normally tacked on to an officer’s shift, Beale is also talking about eliminating duty availability pay, reducing disability claims and eliminating a generous policy that allows officers to take as many as 365 sick days every two years.
In the fire department, Beale wants to permanently reduce minimum-staffing requirements for fire apparatus and switch firefighters to an eight-hour shift — and away from the cherished 24-hours-on, 48-hours-off schedule that allows them to work second and third jobs.
Tom Ryan, president of Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, could not be reached for comment on Beale’s suggestions. But FOP president Mike Shields ripped his ideas.
“The Chicago Police Department today is stretched to the limit. We have had seven police officers killed in the line of duty over the past two years. Now, Ald. Beale wants to give us a pay cut? That is a real insult,” Shields said.
Emanuel’s communications director, Chris Mather, did not dismiss Beale’s suggestions.
“We have to be honest about the fiscal challenges our city faces and any ideas — be it from the city council, the FOP or the public — that will help close the budget gap without impacting the safety on streets and in our neighborhoods should be considered,” Mather said.
