Kane County Reporter

Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) thanked police on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, celebrated Jan. 9.

“It’s  Law Enforcement Appreciation Day! Here’s a shout out to all those who leave their families every day to go out and protect ours," the legislator said on Facebook. "Here’s to  their safe return to their families each and every day and night! Let’s  continue to support legislation that empowers our officers to do their  jobs effectively.”

His comments came as the National Police Foundation (NPF) found that  several cities with record-high crime in 2021 are also dealing with police staffing shortages, Newsweek reported. Chicago is on the list of cities that were impacted the most by organized retail theft.

Although Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot promised to cut $80 million in funding  from the police budget in the midst of the violent anti-police riots and looting in 2020, she recently begged U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to send federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help with Chicago’s illegal gun crisis, Fox 17  reported. There are “thousands” of dangerous, wanted individuals roaming  the streets, Lightfoot said.

Kane County has 30 Police Departments, which serve the county’s  population of more than 500,000 people, according to CountyOffice.org. Out of Illinois’s 102 counties, Kane is ranked number 96 in terms of the number of police departments per capita. 

The site also reported that Kane County spends an average per capita of  $670 on Health and Emergency Services, while the national median is  $359. Its violent crime rate is 165 per 100k residents, while the  national median violent crime rate is 204 per 100k residents.