• Mayor Lori Lightfoot received the no-confidence vote from Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police Union
  • Union president cited forced long hours, canceled days off and the twice cancelled memorial parade  honoring fallen officers as the reasons
  • Lightfoot hit back and said the no confidence vote is a ‘badge of honor’
  • Meanwhile crime in Chicago continues to rise , with violent crime rate up up 20per cent for April 2021 compared to April 2020

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wears the Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police unanimous vote of no-confidence as a ‘badge of honor.’

The controversial city leader defended herself after being blasted by union president John Catanzara.

Lightfoot, who hit the headlines earlier this week for refusing to do one-on-one interviews with white journalists, said: ‘Getting a vote of no confidence from that guy is a badge of honor, and I accept it,

‘There are always going to be critics; that goes with the territory. But what I’m focused on is the working my tail off for the residents of this city.’

The Windy City’s police union President John Catanzara previously said the main reason for Wednesday’s no-confidence vote is officer burnout.

Catanzara said the department’s move from 8.5-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts in preparation for unrest and canceled days off created poor working conditions.

He also cited the second consecutive cancellation of the St. Judge memorial march honoring the city’s fallen officers as part of the reason, calling it ‘a slap in the face.’

Officials insist the parade has been cancelled because of COVID-19 safety measures.

‘The basis for this no-confidence vote is pretty simple, it’s two-fold,’ Catanzara said in a video message uploaded to YouTube. ‘It’s a lack of respect for the Gold Star families and the cancellation of the St. Jude parade.

‘And it’s the lack of consideration for family life and social life. Too many officers have work extended hours, not voluntarily but forced, but the department doesn’t give a damn,’ Catanzara said.

The long hours have created mental health problems for some officers, problems at home because the spouse is left to raise the kids on their own.

They have also triggered alcoholism in some officers, as well as a lack of morale, he said.

The police union represents about 8,000 of the city’s 12,405 sworn officers.

The Chicago mayor hit back during a Friday press conference, saying Catanzara is costing his members ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ in backpay because he refuses to negotiate a new contract, which expired four years ago.

The vote of no confidence comes at a time when violent crime, including homicides and aggravated assaults – are on the rise across Chicago.

Violent crimes, such as homicide and aggravated assault, jumped four per cent since the start of the year, according to the latest crime statistic released in beginning of May, The Chicago Sun Times reported.