IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK THE CITY AND STATE TO PROTECT POLICE, WITNESSES AND VICTIMS?

By Paul Vallas

May 1st, 2026

Will the shooting of two more Chicago Police Officers — one fatally — finally draw attention to the dramatic surge in attacks on law enforcement, an uptick the mainstream media has largely ignored? Is it really too much to ask that the City of Chicago take the necessary steps to protect not only police officers, but also other essential first responders such as paramedics and firefighters, as well as victims of and witnesses to crime whose cooperation is critical to solving crimes?

Since the Consent Decree was imposed on the Chicago Police Department in 2017, and amid the post-George Floyd narrative that casts police as the problem and criminals as victims, attacks on police have increased dramatically. At the same time, there has been a sharp decline in police shootings and in the number of COPA-validated excessive-force complaints, which reportedly fell to just 4 percent last year. These statistics suggest police are not merely exercising unprecedented restraint but retreating from proactive policing which is essential to effective public safety.

This data is largely ignored by the mainstream media, while the “Criminal Industrial Complex” — trial lawyers, consent decree consultants, and so-called police reform advocates — profit from perpetuating a false narrative of a racist police department resistant to reform. Overlooked is the reality that Chicago police face increasingly dangerous conditions, while witnesses and victims are increasingly intimidated by offenders released pretrial.

Thousands of residents live in fear and are often terrorized by violent habitual offenders who are on the streets because of pretrial release and are reluctant to help police because they fear retaliation. CWB Chicago has reported nearly 20 percent of those arrested and charged with felonies were out on pretrial release awaiting trial on another felony charge. Since 2020, there have been 467 arrests of people charged with murder or attempted murder while on pretrial release.

The Cook County Electronic Monitoring program (EM) has failed residents miserably by allowing thousands of felons, including those charged with  crimes as severe as murder, attempted murder, domestic violence and weapons charges, returned to the streets prior to appearing in court. The habitual criminal arrested for the shooting two police officers — one fatally — at Swedish Memorial Hospital was on EM despite being a repeat felon with four pending felony cases. He, like many others, eluded EM, and it cost one police officer his life and left another clinging to life.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart abruptly terminated the disastrous 30-year electronic monitoring program which he had managed incompetently and had been a source of continual political embarrassment. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle , in an effort to continue the program, transferred administering the program to the ill equipped Chief Judge of the Court and to a shortened Chicago Police Department who replaced the Sheriffs police.

Is it really too much to ask that the city take meaningful steps to protect police officers, other essential workers, and the witnesses and victims of crime? Governor JB Pritzker should call a special session of the Illinois General Assembly to address violent crime and require the state legislature to amend the SAFE-T Act to mandate the detention of dangerous and habitual criminals including detention and mandatory sentencing for anyone who attacks a police officer or threatens or retaliates against a witness or victim.

Action on violent crime should not be limited to Springfield. The City of Chicago should also establish a comprehensive witness and victim protection program, recruiting retired police officers with investigative experience to support the under-resourced Bureau of Detectives in building cases and safeguarding witnesses. Funding could come from asset forfeitures, fines, and enforcement of nuisance ordinances that hold individuals financially accountable for property damage, public endangerment, and disruption of commerce.

Chicago can and should exercise its Home Rule authority to enact local ordinances “for the protection of public health, safety, morals, and welfare,” as permitted under Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, so long as they are not preempted by state law. This authority includes the power to prosecute violations of city ordinances.

Such measures could address crimes including domestic violence, weapons violations, threats against witnesses and victims, and offenses against police officers. They could also cover possession of stolen vehicles, robbery, burglary, theft, and retail theft. The city could take an even more aggressive approach to firearms violations by imposing substantial fines, ensuring that illegal gun possession carries consequences when other jurisdictions fail to act.

Revenue generated from these measures could fund a comprehensive witness and victim protection infrastructure, including expanded shelter and crisis intervention services. While murders and attempted murders have declined, incidents tied to domestic violence continue to rise. In response, State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has established a Special Victims Bureau to manage cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, hate crimes, and other crimes against vulnerable populations.

The City Public Safety Act must include the creation of a “City Case Review Unit” in the City Law Department to review prosecutors’ and judges’ controversial decisions on charging, pretrial release, and sentencing in violent crimes, weapons, and conspiracy cases. Why not? Both the state and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office have had “Integrity Unit” structures that focused on legitimacy of convictions for criminals, not victims of crime. It is not out of the question to establish a unit to ensure public transparency and political accountability for judges’ bad decisions that hurt victims.

The City Case Review Unit would also help address longstanding transparency gaps, particularly those stemming from exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act that shield parts of the county’s criminal justice system, including the Office of the Chief Judge and its programs, from public scrutiny. Recall the fight between then Chief Judge Evans and former Clerk of the Court Irene Martinez over her demand that data on pretrial release and orders of protection be released.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and his supporters have been silent on escalating violence against Chicago Police, the impact pretrial release may be having on witnesses and victims, and on the need to hold Cook County judges responsible for their reckless decisions. If Mayor Johnson and the City Council want to regain the confidence of residents hit hardest by violent crime, aldermen must make the protection of police officers, witnesses, and victims a paramount priority.

Police officers who risk their lives daily in an increasingly dangerous environment deserve not only our gratitude, but our protection as well. Just as officers deserve protection, witnesses and victims who come forward to help bring offenders to justice should be afforded the same consideration and protections. There must be zero tolerance for threats against either, and it must be embedded in the SAFE-T Act while the city asserts its own home rule powers to ensure greater accountability. Both officers and witnesses deserve to know their government has their back.

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Paul Vallas formerly ran the public school systems in Chicago, Philadelphia and the Louisiana Recovery School District. He was a candidate for Mayor of Chicago.

Comments 15

  1. Thank you so much Paul for outlining the major issues the city and state face, giving the data, and providing detailed plans for improvement. I’ve criticized your personality, affect, thin skin, but I’d vote for you tomorrow for any office if given the chance.

    The fact that you’re telling the truth dooms you unfortunately. Pritzker has bought the state. Educated people tell me he’s doing a good job and should be president. I don’t know how anyone in good conscience could say that, but he’s bought off all the big public employee unions, and they’ll sell us down the river to protect their good pay and generous benefits as people are forced to out of their homes and having trouble even feeding their families.

    Trump, as flawed as he is, was the right choice in 2024. I shudder to think what 4 more years of Sleepy Joe and Mayorkas would have done to this nation. Tucker Carlson gave a great monologue about all elites, Republican Neocons as well, who have a disdain for working people. I think our political, educational and financial elites all have this in common. They won’t line up behind you because they have allegiances that contradict the well being our city and state.

    Marjorie Taylor Greene, fresh out of Congress, has detailed the hypocrisy, the lies, and the treasonous behavior of our Congress, bought and paid for by special interests. Some even have dual citizenship. This shoiuld not be allowed.

  2. Great article Paul. The citizens of the City of Chicago really screwed up by not showing up in the election runoff allowing the CTU to push this absolute incompetent racist imbecile to become the mayor over you.

  3. Well, Governor Big Pants was on television just this week, saying that in the instant case “…it was up to the judge! He could have detained the offender.” and then he waddled away. That is the sum total of his concern for the profound problem you outline so well. He’ll not have ANYTHING stand (or lie) in the way of his pathway to the Oval….

    There are some benefits – admittedly minor in the grand scheme – – – the ‘laterals’ we’re getting in the suburbs are EXCELLENT officers!!! They love their work, they are devoted to the idea of doing a good job, and they come to us already trained (thanks, Chicago!) and we’re really happy to have them. One of them told me he just couldn’t believe how many times a week we wash our cars and clean the interiors! (BIG benefits in the ‘burbs, I tell ya!)

    What is really going to be the grand Pritzker insult – – – he’ll no doubt want an invitation to the hero’s funeral and whether the family likes it or not, he and Mayor Pointy Hair will likely show up at the wake as well. We’ve run out of synonyms for “clueless” for them.

    One can only cry salty tears for the past victims of this insanity and for those yet to come – – – and yes, there will be more, because Mr. Vallas is correct in his assessment of the problem and the possible remedies (at least to start with!) but NONE of it will be heeded by those who could help save future lives, and it would take so little effort. SO LITTLE EFFORT to care enough to stand up like a man, say “We could have done this better, and now we’re fixing it!”, but they won’t. We all know it – they won’t. And we’ll continue to mourn with families and go to funeral homes and weep at cemeteries for our lost heroes.

    1. I was thinking a similar thing about the suburbs. The city’s decline is the suburbs gain. People leave Chicago for the burbs, which means more political influence, more economic activity, and higher property values … best case.

  4. Thanks Paul. Well stated . Sadly the CHUMBALONES will continue to ignore the truth till it hits close to home then the tears and handwringing will commence. But what of the. Victims already? What of their families svd friends or the thin Blue and red lines that protect the city.

  5. Paul, how about you and the rest of the muckrackers doing your real job and dig into the ties and influence of the Talleys which ended in the slaying of an honorable police officer. I am sick of analysis/paralysis, do not report what we already know, get to the heart of the crime.

  6. Paul, thank you for the recap and for those words. But, please tell us, what would you DO if you were mayor. How would you change things? Paul we have met in the past and discussed your candidacy when you last ran for mayor and, I think you’re a very nice guy, but you still run under the DEMOCRATIC ticket. So how would you change things for the positive. How would you fix the problems? What would you do to correct all these wrongs?

    A mayor has to wear the big boy pants and make the tough decisions. Perhaps a start would be cutting the over bloated city council by at least half through legislative action, state legislation . LA has 15 council members and New York, three times the size of Chicago in population and 1.3 times the size of Chicago in land mass has 51 council members. Perhaps looking at every bill that this city pays and cut overspending. Yes, personally looking at the bills not having a henchman do it. Cutting all the unnecessary spending can save this city billions of dollars in wasteful overspending. Think what can be done with several billion extra dollars. All city employees reap a small increase. Some city fees decrease, ie city stickers et al. Perhaps putting a qualified Superintendent in charge of the police department. Snelling is a nice guy, but the majority of your career in the police academy does not make for a qualified Superintendent. Perhaps unhandcuffing the police. Perhaps hiring enough police to keep the numbers up to budget standards and keep the officers and the citizens safe.

    Well, I would hope you get the point by now Paul. I could go on and on, but I may as as well be mayor myself if I continue with this Chicago Mayor 101 class.

    Someone needs to do the job. Someone needs to make Chicago the crown jewel of the midwest that it once was. Someone needs to save the city from drowning in the muck. We need someone that will take the job seriously and do it for one term at 100%. Do what they say they are going to do, and get the job done.

  9. Thank you Mr. Vallas. Thanks John, forgive me for this rant, I will be at confession before mass on Saturday evening. This is my opinion, to those I offend we need as a society to stop this nonsense.

    We do not have a media in Chicago. Officer Bartholomews murder is on Pritzker, Prewinkle, Fox, Dart and the Black Caucus.

    Where is the Media. Royko has been dead 29 years this week, no independent journalists except KASSO and his guest columnist s.

    Not a word about Saturdays mornings first victim before the officers murder. The dollar store manager, beaten at gun point, sustaining a broken nose, possible orbital fracture and black eyes.
    Taken was her purse and car keys and the opening cash from the register.
    Innocent African American woman living honestly in society that’s only mistake was going to work Saturday morning. Then we have the previous female AA victim before pistol whipped walking to her car to go to work.

    Let’s not forget Firefighter Mike Altman, killed by an arsonist who should have been locked up. How about Sheridan Gorman a student at Loyola University who was murdered on campus, by a governor and mayor who advocate for the criminals.

    Let’s not forget Officers Preston, Martinez, CFD Captain Meyers death a year ago last week to an arsonist out and about. Look at Officer Chrystal Rivera, a tragic loss, mistake, but chasing not one but two men armed with a handgun and a rifle.

    Want me to go back further?

    Can I ask a question and not be considered a racist?

    Why do we ignore the fact that a black male between the ages of ten and forty has a higher mortality rate in Chicago than a US soldier in Combat.

    Why are we ignoring the Black on Black genocide of African American males in our City, the City that belongs to all of us?

    Why the silence, from our politicians?

    Why the mothers have to suffer in pain, for the rest of their lives.?

    I do not want the Governor or the Mayor using line of duty deaths as a photo shoot, opportunity to play for votes when we bury our public servants. Stay away, until you walked down an alley by yourself or up a burning stairwell, or did CPR hopelessly, you will never know what we experience. To most of us it was a vocation, not a job.

    The Politicians, and Judges need to go to the funerals of the young men who die on our streets over nonsense, see how the only the names and faces of the dead, change, look at the Mothers or Grandmothers. I witnessed the tears, and devastation.

    The girlie man Secretary of State is morning the loss of the Chicago Police Officer who is of Greek decent. Anything to get free publicity.

    The Bank embezzler, the Mobs banker puts every police officer in the state in death’s way every time we show up for work.

    Paper temp license plates to the rear of the vehicle, which the numbers are easily changed with a black magic marker. No plate no follow up.

    How about his tinted windows. All those cars with the smoked glass no one can see into, stolen by the gangs to commit drive buys and more armed robberies. Innocent victims can’t react to what they do not see. Same asshat who is going to arrest ICE agents for switching license plates, doing their jobs. Always ranting about Trump, when my city kids can’t read or comprehend at grade level.

    My favorite is Boss Toni. I would like to be a Forest Preserve Police Officer assigned to her 24 hour a day seven days a week security detail. Forest Preserve cops making $13500.00 thousand to be a professional valet. Good for the Forest Preserve cops who have the patronage job, making sixty grand each more than the men patrolling the county. How many are on her detail..

    Old Toni is Safe.

    Judge John Lyke.

    I worked with Lyke when he was a states attorney in sex crimes and felony review. Mr. Lyke was a great states attorney really had compassion and fought for our victims. I have to be fair I was happy to see Mr. Lyke make judge, we had a lot in common in our backgrounds, schools and neighborhoods. The man I knew in all honesty was a good person.

    I really think it’s time our judge s run without a political affiliation. Is Judge Lyke being forced to make decisions by Boss Toni, to make sure he gets slated by the Democratic Party? Look at how Pritzker bought the State Supreme Court.

    The decision made by Judge John Lyke was an abomination, and now he is the scapegoat of the legislation passed into law by the Pritzker and his Democrats.
    I disagree with his decision, but i ask is a he too not a victim of the political circumstances? The blame game, let’s offer up a sacrificial lamb out of the Daley playbook with the loop tunnel floods.

    Mr. Vallas is right. After Ferguson, and Floyd the police have given up. If I worked today and most of the people I worked with we would need bear tranquilizer to get into a Blue and White and protect our citizens the way they deserve to be protected. To tell me I need a Sergeants permission to chase on foot, let alone never a vehicle pursuit.

    Seven government agencies now determine if our split second decisions on the street are legal.

    Try being a Chicago Police Officer.

    We need the checks and balances in police work. I’m for it, no one likes a bad or corrupt cop more than the honest guys. A relative was a CPD cop before and after he was drafted in WW2. He told me before he died that every ten years the Chicago Police Department will always have scandals, men stealing and not honoring the oath.
    Guess what he was right. I saw it with my own eyes. Groups going to jail.

    Poor honest guys working among the riff raff. Leadership oblivious.

    We have a consent degree. We need an independent Internal Affairs made up of honest people. We need integrity checks. Leave a stolen car with property or money in it. What we do not need is leadership related to organized dope dealing and criminal activity. How are the honest cops working your blue and whites or detectives units expected to lock up bad people when a hoodlums related to a Internal Affair s boss, can have you placed in call back, psyched of the job, or dumped from your assignment?

    The Government is against us, the Court system and the Police Administration.

    Officer Bartholomew went to work Saturday morning trying to be a good cop, with everything I just mentioned in the back of his mind. The man showed compassion, gave the murderer his dignity with his clothing, removing the leg irons and the one hand cuff to the bed railing. All so he could get a x ray exam.

    To the skeptics blaming the Officers, remember we are never allowed to do a strip search it’s that way to protect the rights of the arrestee.

    His loss is due to the Governor, and the Democratic State legislature.

    A great city lost a good policeman, on something that should not have occurred. Let’s not also not forget the nameless citizens who have been continuously abused in the same manner and those who have died at the hands of those released by the safety act, not just our public servants, all People count in Chicago, and Cook County.

  10. After reading many of Paul’s columns here at John Kass news, I wondered how in hell was Brandon Johnson ever elected? And of course the larger issue of how in hell could he ever be reelected? Of course these same questions equally apply to the Mayors in LA and NYC, as well as to the leadership of most deep blue metropolises. Matt Walsh, I think, offered the best explanation: the Curley Effect. Mayor Curley was the four time Mayor of Boston – as well as holding other elected offices, including governor. He was enormously popular. He was enormously corrupt. In fact he drove businesses and successful people out of Boston putting Boston in precarious finances. But it did not matter. In fact that was good. Because those left behind after driving the successful out, where his deeply devoted followers who guaranteed him holding electoral office over a period of 50 years including four nonconsecutive terms of Mayor of Boston. The same principle applies here in Chicago. Driving out the successful leaves behind devoted true believers – like those in the CTU and other public sector union members – who will guarantee the election of clowns like Brandon Johnson. This appears to be the playbook for all big city Democratic Mayors across the country.

  11. Voters keep voting these scumbags into office. Press cheerleads for them. They claim the Safety act isn’t to blame. Judges say they don’t have discretion. We should vote all of them out.

  12. Judges should be out. Period. They are looking for the Greek Vote and that is why they are talking about the Policeman being killed is from Greek blood. Mr. Vallas we have lost the City we love and the Governor and Mayor must be Voted out. The Press is with them and so the idiots that have no clue as to what is happening to the Country we all Love. So sad.

  13. Paul,

    Yes, it is too much to ask the city and state to protect police, witnesses, and victims!

    Don’t you understand Mayor Panic, Jelly Belly Pritzker, and the Illinois assembly are waaaaay too busy radicalizing our kids and making them even dumber by letting them skip school to audition for the socialist Mecca these morons are pushing?

    That they don’t have time for basic constitutional duties like safety and infrastructure while they are busy destroying Illinois by chasing out the makers, and sucking up to the takers?

    Seriously, why would you expect them to do the hard work when they can star at the superficial!

    By the way, when Chicago elected Mayor Panic over you I sold everything I had connected to Chicago and Illinois and moved to a different state and have never looked back. Illinois is lost!

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