McCarthy Says Too Many Arrested For Illegal Gun Possession Are "Immediately Back Out On The Street"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says he thinks police are "doing a pretty good job" getting guns off the streets, but he says prosecutors and judges have to be held accountable when so many people arrested are ending up back on the street.
"We have a problem in this country," Supt. McCarthy says. "It's right there."
He pointed toward a table of two dozen guns seized over these past seven days.
"That's the biggest problem in this country."
More than 4,800 guns have been taken off the street so far this year.
McCarthy says of the 1,500 people arrested in the first half of the year for illegal gun possession, three out of four are "immediately back out on the street."
"I think we're doing a pretty good job when we're getting this many guns," McCarthy says. "The question is, what happens afterwards. So prosecutors, judges, elected officials have to be held accountable at the same level that I'm accountable for."
It's a familiar theme for McCarthy.
"Excuse me for being frustrated," he says.