Judge Napolitano on Pleas for Federal Help in Dealing With Chicago Murders: ‘This Would Fundamentally Alter Relationship Between Federal Gov’t and States’
Murders are skyrocketing in Chicago with the rate increasing from 435 in 2011 to 506 in 2012. In January 2013 alone, there were 42 murders. The increased violence has led Reverend Jesse Jackson to plead for federal intervention. To make matters worse, the Chicago Police Department says it is no longer resourced to take every 911 call, making it clear that they’ll need to prioritize requests for help.
Judge Napolitano tackled the 911 issues first, saying that while police have always prioritized – focusing on threats to life before threats to property – he believes announcing it was a mistake. “When they announce to the city of Chicago and to the world ‘we’re not going to deal with property crimes, don’t expect us to respond to 911,’ that sends a message to the bad guys.”
The judge then addressed Jesse Jackson’s request for help from the federal government, stressing that it’s the job of the city of Chicago, not the federal government, to maintain health and safety in the streets. “If we get to the point where the federal government is going to send federal police into the United States cities -- A.) We’d have to amend the Constitution to do it. B.) That would fundamentally alter the relationship between the federal government and individuals and the federal government and the states,” the judge said.
