The City Council will vote on new regulations Wednesday aimed at cutting down on violence on party buses that operate in Chicago.
Chicago police spoke out Tuesday in support of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed crackdown on party buses.
"Any help we can get on this we’ll take it," says Chicago Police Chief Fred Waller.
Waller says there are several requirements that could help prevent people from carrying illegal guns on party buses, such as cameras and tighter security.
Last month in the North Side's Edgewater neighborhood—two people were killed and another person was injured after gunfire broke out on a party bus.
Police say that is just one of 11 shootings connected to party buses since 2015.
"The party buses are a problem," says Emanuel.
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The new ordinance calls for party buses with 15 or more passengers that have alcohol on board, to install security cameras, and hire licensed security guards.
It also requires operators to take steps to keep illegal guns off of buses and ups the fines for those who violate the rules.
"There are good actors, but there are some fly-by-night actors, and they’ve been operating in the land of loopholes and we’re gonna tighten those loopholes," Emanuel said.
In the Gold Coast Tuesday--an area frequented by party buses--many were skeptical of the crackdown.
The owner of a party bus company, who did not want to be identified out of fear of retaliation from the city, told NBC 5 over the phone he’s not opposed to new regulations.
He does say, however, they will cost owners like him a lot of money--and he’s concerned that the problem companies simply won’t follow the rules.
