CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A City Council resolution calling for Gov. Pritzker to activate the Illinois National Guard to assist Chicago police has been sent to committee.
Four Chicago aldermen called a rare special meeting Friday to discuss asking Pritzker to declare of state of emergency in the city, making way for Guard members to help local law enforcement.
The move comes nearly two weeks after the latest round of looting and vandalism in and around the downtown.
“Our police are working 12-hour days,” 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale said Friday. “Their days off are being canceled. We need to give them some kind of relief.”
Related
Other aldermen said a sustained deployment of soldiers won’t solve deeply ingrained social problems in Chicago.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been cool to the idea, although the National Guard did assist Chicago police temporarily during the unrest immediately after George Floyd’s arrest. She said the council should have a broader discussion about public safety.
Lightfoot and her allies succeeded in stalling the measure, which was sent to the council's Public Safety Committee.