Meet the ‘Defund the Police’ Advocate Chicago Just Elected To Deal With Its Crime Spike

Chicago’s newly elected Mayor, Brandon Johnson, is a prominent supporter of the “Defund the Police” movement, sparking questions on how he will handle the city’s increasing crime rate.

The election came after Chicago voters ousted Mayor Lori Lightfoot due to the city’s surging crime, making public safety a top priority amongst voters, according to polls. Surprisingly, the electorate voted against a “law-and-order” candidate in favor of Johnson, who supports defunding the police.

Johnson is the only candidate who hasn’t favored “hiring more police officers” or “filling the about 1,600 vacancies” in the Chicago Police Department, according to a report from Block Club Chicago. Instead, he supports plans to “dismantle systemic racism” by removing a gang member database and opting for health professionals instead of the police for crisis calls.

Critiques of Johnson’s policies claim that they are similar to those of his predecessor, Mayor Lightfoot. Lightfoot’s focus on criminal justice reform and providing resources for communities rather than relying solely on law enforcement has led to criticism for being ineffective. Chicago’s homicide rate has risen by 40% since Lightfoot took office in 2019, according to a report by watchdog group Wirepoints.

Lightfoot and Johnson have also been supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement and its demands for police reform. Johnson has said that the phrase “defund the police” is an actual political goal, adding further concerns for his ability to tackle crime in the city effectively.

Johnson’s policies extend beyond his support of defunding the police. His election campaign was endorsed by several progressive labor unions, and he has called for significant tax hikes on various entities, including real estate, financial transactions, airlines, hotels, and even suburbs. These funds would be utilized for Social Impact Investing Programs and towards addressing past mistakes.

Critics have slammed Johnson’s education policy, alleging that his views on public schooling might not help the students. Wirepoints published an article saying that just one in every 20 black students in CPS is proficient in math, while Johnson, as a teacher, did not provide test prep or issue sufficient amounts of homework, and had never given a student an “F.”