Peoria Standard

Li Arellano, a state senator from Illinois, has attributed Chicago's high crime rates to officer shortages, heavy overtime demands, and cultural differences within the city. The statement was made on Facebook.

"Chicago Police has been dramatically down in number of officers in recent years, and that has placed an even bigger overtime burden and mental burden on their officers," said Liandro Gm Arellano, Illinois State Senator for 37th District, according to Facebook. "That's on top of a distantly different culture, in terms of how both cops and criminals are viewed, in Chicago compared to other cities in Illinois. Those are just two of the many, many dynamics that have led to Chicago being so high in crime rates for larger cities. And while only some of those dynamics have to do with policing, it's definitely worth a read."

Chicago is currently facing challenges with police staffing shortages. According to reports by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Police Executive Research Forum, sworn staffing levels remain approximately 6% below those of 2020 despite recent hiring efforts. Attrition among younger officers is notably high, with one in six recruits hired since 2016 no longer serving. This situation has placed significant pressure on existing staff and led to a heavy reliance on overtime. Although violent crime trends have generally declined, they remain inconsistent across different neighborhoods.

In 2024, the Chicago Police Department allocated around $273.8 million for officer overtime, which represents a decrease of 6.5% from 2023 but still accounts for more than half of the city's total overtime expenditure of $510.9 million. Reports from WTTW and Fox 32 Chicago indicate that over 11,000 sworn officers logged overtime hours, highlighting the department's dependence on additional shifts to address staffing gaps.

According to Newsweek's analysis using FBI data, Chicago recorded a violent crime rate of approximately 540 per 100,000 residents in 2024. This figure is lower than New York's rate of 671 and Los Angeles' rate of 728; however, Chicago's property crime rate of 3,473 per 100,000 exceeded both cities'. In contrast, Houston reported higher rates in both categories, illustrating that Chicago's crime profile is mixed when compared to other major metropolitan areas.

Liandro "Li" Arellano Jr., a Republican who took office as Illinois State Senator for the 37th District in January 2025, is also a U.S. Army veteran and former mayor of Dixon (2015–2023). He represents counties including Bureau, DeKalb, Rock Island, and Peoria while continuing to manage his small business. His legislative priorities have focused on economic growth and local governance as reported by the Illinois General Assembly.