Mayor Richard Daley
said Saturday Chicago police officers will he armed with high-powered
assault rifles when they're on the streets fighting gangs and other
criminals.
"Many times they're outgunned, to be very frank," Daley said at an
event in the Englewood
neighborhood. "When they come to a scene, someone has a semi
fully-automatic weapon and you have a little pistol, uh, good luck."
The city's police officers carry pistols, and Daley suggested they will
start carrying "M4 rifles."
Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the department still is working
out details about the M4 carbines.
"It's very preliminary. It's really under review. It is something being
reviewed. As far as all of the logistics, the training component, might
be premature to discuss it at this point," Bond said.
Daley pointed out that the Illinois State Police, Chicago SWAT units
and other police departments around the country already carry
high-powered assault weapons. He said the weapons will better match the
Chicago police officers against criminals with sophisticated weapons,
such as high-powered assault rifles.
"We're finding out that the weapons of criminals are getting bigger and
bigger, AK47s, all types of different weapons, because they can carry
assault weapons, it's not a violation of federal law, and that is a
concern for all of us," he said.