Chicago police officers continue to retire at a scorching pace — with nearly twice as many calling it quits so far this year as did in all of 2018.
More than 660 officers have retired in 2021, said Michael Lappe, a trustee for the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. And nearly 60 more are planning to retire later this month, he said.
“This is a voluntary calamity in progress,” Lappe said. “It can’t continue here or in any other big city.”
In addition to the retirements, Lappe said, more than 140 officers quit in the first six months of 2021 even though they didn’t meet the requirements yet to qualify for full pension benefits. Some have moved on to other police departments in the suburbs and out of state, he said.
“The common theme I hear is that is these officers don’t want to take the risk of being the next headline just for doing their job,” he said.
The police department had 560 retirements in all of 2020, 475 in 2019 and 339 in 2018, according to figures from the police pension fund.
Other cities, including New York, also have seen huge increases in retirements in recent years.
Maggie Hickey — the independent monitor of a federal court order that requires Chicago to reform the police department as a result of past civil rights abuses — put out a report a week ago saying she’s concerned about a “high number of vacancies which ultimately impact officer safety, community safety” along with the department’s ability to supervise cops properly.
“We are similarly concerned with some resignations of key CPD civilians” who analyze data, Hickey said.
Police Supt. David Brown has said the department plans to start administering in-person entrance exams later this month and has a full-time recruiting staff trying to boost interest in becoming a Chicago cop.
