Chicago's wealthy residents are hiring off-duty police officers to patrol their areas in wake of rising crime incidents.
The government's move has invited a sharp criticism on social media as a faction of followers believe that this is "incompetence" on the part of the law enforcing agency. They also stated that the cops were being paid "special incentive" which is uncalled for and would set up a wrong precedent.
Neighborhood associations are paying to the security agencies which are responsible for hiring off-duty cops. These cops are using marked cars to patrol the wealthy neighborhoods of Chicago. They carry guns but can't arrest anyone.
The Move Will Impair the Social Fabric
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot too has come in the firing line of the people from various quarters as she is being accused of siding with the affluent class.
Social media followers have stated that Lightfoot has betrayed the general public of Chicago by allowing the "wealthy" to use police machinery for private agency for the protection of their localities. "What about the non-affluent areas/localities"? questioned some of the followers?
The detractors also stated that law enforcing agencies act in the public interest irrespective of their financial status. This move has clearly demarcated the privileged and the underprivileged which can further impair the social fabric, added the social media followers.
A report published by Daily Mail states that according to the data shared by Chicago Police Department there has been 7% increase in murders as compared to last year followed by 12% increase in sexual assaults and 14% increase in aggravated assaults. In addition, burglaries have gone up by 28% and thefts are alarmingly up by 60%.
A twitter user while sharing his opinion wrote, "In Chicago, Wealthy Neighborhoods Hire Their Own Private Police as Crime Rises: "It's a little like a dystopian sci-fi movie when you see the flashing green lights go by," said Mr. Lane, who works in the medical-publishing business."
Another user shared, "The roots of polycentric governance theory are in Vincent Ostrom's work on policing. Public safety is seen as a public good, but it's being converted into a toll good by wealthy communities with neighborhood associations paying for private police."
A tweet read, "This happens when you defund the police. You get private Police "Several neighborhoods on Chicago's affluent North Side have signed up for patrols by armed off-duty police officers."
"In Chicago, Wealthy Neighborhoods Hire Their Own Private Police as Crime Rises Because they have an incompetent, racist mayor", read another tweet.
