Johnson and Vallas, Chicago mayoral candidates, clash over police in debate

In a televised debate on Thursday night, Chicago's mayoral candidates debated public safety ahead of the April 4th runoff. This race has become the latest big-city mayoral race that will test voters' views about crime and policing.

In a televised debate on Thursday night, Chicago's mayoral candidates debated public safety ahead of the April 4th runoff. This race has become the latest big-city mayoral race that will test voters' views about crime and policing.

Paul Vallas accused his progressive rival Brandon Johnson, of backing the "defund police" movement. Johnson countered that Vallas' plans for increasing the hiring of police officers would not be feasible because they were slow and unrealistic.

Johnson and Vallas, both of whom claim they are Democrats, advanced to the second round after the February 28 primary. Lori Lightfoot, the incumbent, finished third, destroying her reelection hopes.

Chicago is overwhelmingly Democratic: 83% of Chicago's voters voted for President Joe Biden in 2020.Johnson and Vallas are on opposing sides of the party's division over police policies.

Vallas is a former chief of public schools and more conservative candidate who was backed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police. He has focused his campaign around a pro-police message and tough-on-crime message. He has pledged to stop the exodus from city police officers and increase the number of cops on Chicago Transit Authority trains and buses.

Johnson, a progressive Cook County Commissioner who is endorsed and supported by the Chicago Teachers Union has at times supported the "defund police" movement. Johnson now states that he will not reduce police spending, but will seek to invest more money in areas that are less fortunate.

Vallas repeatedly referred to Johnson's comments from the past, in which he had supported shifting public funds away from policing towards community-based programs.

Johnson stated that he would encourage 200 more detectives to solve violent crimes. Johnson also stated that he would work to reduce gun violence by enforcing the "red flag" laws more aggressively. These laws allow courts to temporarily seize firearms from people they believe are a danger to themselves and others.

Vallas stated that there is no substitute for returning community-based policing."You cannot have confidence in public transportation safety if there aren't police officers on the platforms or at the stations.

The race has largely focused on crime. The city saw an increase in violence between 2020 and 2021.According to the Chicago Police Department's 2022 annual-end report, shootings and murders have declined since then. However, other crimes like theft, car-jacking and burglaries increased last year.

Vallas had tried to stay above the fray in their previous debate while Johnson attacked. On Thursday night, Vallas attacked Johnson in the debate's first minutes. This was a sign of a more contentious turn in a race that has at least three more debates.

Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn were among the few national voices to support Johnson in the mayoral race. Sanders stated this week that Johnson was "a champion for working families of Chicago" in a statement.

Vallas has many influential endorsements from local politicians, including several city aldermen, and Jesse White, the former Secretary of State of Illinois, who was four times the top Democratic statewide vote getter. Toni Preckwinkle (the Cook County board president) endorsed Johnson.