Emanuel: Daley's Security Detail To Stay For Now
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel acknowledged Tuesday that former Mayor Richard M. Daley's security detail is not being reduced for now, but he indicated it would be soon.
Daley is being allowed to keep the same number of police officers on his security detail as he had when he was in office.
But as CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports, Daley might not have the perk for long.
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy announced Friday that his own security detail and those of Emanuel, powerful Ald. Edward Burke (14th), City Treasurer Stephanie Neely and other city and county officials were being reduced.
Tuesday was the first chance for reporters to question Emanuel about the issue.
Emanuel said that Daley's days with his full, city-paid security staff are numbered and Daley knows it..
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The size and scope of Daley's security staff, which includes two police cars and an unknown number of active duty officers, hasn't changed one bit since he left office.
But Mayor Emanuel said that it will, eventually.
"The former mayor's security detail was always designed to be transitional and temporary and that's how it will be," Emanuel said. "There will be an evaluation again on security needs towards the end of the summer."
A security review completed by McCarthy's office did reduce the police guard for some political heavyweights.
Emanuel's and McCarthy's own police security details have been reduced.
Burke, Chicago's longest serving alderman and chairman of the City Council's Finance Committee, will lose his four active-duty police guards and have them replaced by two retired cops.
Neely will lose her two active duty cops and have them replaced by a single retired officer.
Switching to retired cops saves taxpayers' money.
"That's a significant cost savings for the city if we can hire civilians who are trained professionals to do the same jobs that police officers are doing," McCarthy said.
Security details for Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez and the Chicago Housing Authority's CEO have been eliminated.
"That's around eight officers that now will be on the street and, in related to savings," Emanuel said.
The moves will save the city around $650,000 a year, Emanuel said.
The old security system was taking up 31 sworn officers, costing $2.8 million a year for protecting Daley, Emanuel, McCarthy, Burke and former CHA chief Louis Jordan.
Emanuel, who traveled with three city cops on Tuesday, said that's too much money, noting his own security detail has been reduced.
Emanuel said the reduction in security details is part of his pledge to put more officers to the streets. More than 650 cops have already been switched from administrative duties to active policing since Emanuel took office.
As for Daley's security detail, Emanuel said Daley has acknowledged from the beginning that his big police detail will not be permanent.
