Emanuel, McCarthy Discuss Security Details

Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that his first concern for the city is keeping its residents safe.

The number of security personnel assigned to its public officials, like Alderman Ed Burke, were less of a priority, but Emanuel is happy with the cost saving associated with trimming the detail. 

"My first goal was to bring safety to the city of Chicago," Emanuel said Tuesday. "Now as you know there have been repeated questions about the four officers. I've said those four officers as they relate to the security detail for chairman Burke did not trump what I did for the city."

Burke learned this week that his current security detail, which consists of four uniformed police officers, will be swapped in favor of four retired officers. The eliminated detail, along with a few other politicians' details, will save the city $600,000.

Emanuel hinted that he had opinions about the issue, but declined to illuminate the gathered press contingent.

"I understand the interest, and while I may have my own personal opinions, I'm not casting judgment," Emanuel said the weeks of press speculation about the security teams. Burke, for his part, said Monday that he was fine with the changes.

Emanuel's police superintendent Garry McCarthy echoed his boss at a different event when he said that a security review revealed that the police details for certain city officials weren't necessary.

"What's really relevant here is that we're taking and finding every single police officer we can and are returning them to duty," McCarthy said.

But that isn't the case when it comes to the former mayor.

Richard Daley will be able to keep his post-service security detail, McCarthy said.

"The former mayor was a significatn public official and there have been incidents in the past and in that case we'd rather be safe than sorry," McCarthy said.

Emanuel told assembled reporters at his press conference that the former mayor's detail would be scrutinized at the end of the year.

"The former mayor's detail is temporary and transitional," Emanuel said.

Contact Us