Mayor Daley: rush of cop retirements unlikely

Police chief fears growing shortages

Mayor Daley said Monday he does not share his police superintendent's extreme case of nerves about a wave of police retirements next year because the economy stinks and "there are no jobs out there."

"Retirement is very questionable because of the economy outside. You can't get jobs," the mayor told reporters.

"Usually when people retire, they'll be able to get a second job. That's very, very difficult today. Very difficult. ... There's no jobs out there."

Police Supt. Jody Weis told aldermen last week he is "extremely nervous" that a wave of retirements next year -- after an arbitrator rules on the new police contract -- will stretch a burgeoning manpower shortage beyond levels he considers safe.

Roughly 1,000 officers are eligible to retire, now that Daley has promised to extend premium health benefits to officers who call it quits at 55. But many are waiting until the contract is settled in hopes that a raise will lock in a higher retirement pay.

Daley also scoffed at an alderman's suggestion that Chicagoans get preferred seating at Millennium Park, saying it would never have been built without suburban wallets.

"Remember, people gave money [to build Millennium Park] who lived throughout the metropolitan area -- business leaders. And if you look at many of them, they lived in suburban areas. They should have never given," Daley said facetiously.

"We have free concerts there. First come, first served."

Fed up with suburbanites who show up early and "glom" the Pritzker Pavillion's 4,000 seats, Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th) last week advocated preferential seating for Chicagoans.