As Crime Surges in Chicago, Never Forget Cops Had To Hold Pancake Breakfast To Raise Money for New Bulletproof Vests
As Chicago becomes increasingly violent, it would only make sense that the Windy City’s police department would have more bulletproof vests.
Unfortunately, as a report from Chicago’s local ABC affiliate proves, city government has no interest in providing the men and women in blue with such life-saving equipment.
As the WLS-TV report noted, “Bulletproof vests need to be replaced every five years. The cost is $500 or more, all coming out of the pockets of officers.”
Since the city showed no desire to help the police afford that equipment, it was up to a pro-police group to find enough funds to pay for the vests.
In an effort to do the job the city of Chicago would not do, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation held a pancake breakfast last October to raise the funds necessary to buy bulletproof vests.
Ultimately, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation has raised enough to buy 8,000 bulletproof vests over the past five years.
The breakfast was part of the foundation’s “Get Behind the Vest” initiative.
“Since we started the program, we’ve had 44 officers saved by their vests,” foundation member Bridget Schuda said.
The Chicago Memorial Police Foundation’s website lays out disturbing statistics explaining the rationale behind the push for bulletproof vests.
A graphic on the website describes how “75% of Chicago police officer deaths in the line of duty have been gunfire related.”
Discussing the impact of “one bullet,” the graphic explains that “It can shatter ribs. Pierce lungs. Penetrate organs. Cause internal bleeding. Trigger a heart attack. Induce shock. Create paralysis. One bullet can end a police officer’s life. Or, it can hit their vest and do nothing.”
The website also features videos documenting real-life examples of how bulletproof vests can save an officer’s life.
One particular officer found himself in the middle of a gunfight where “56 rounds were fired.”
Yet, because of his bulletproof vest, he needed only “a few stitches” and returned to work within five weeks.
While it’s sad they had to rely on a pancake breakfast to secure funding for bulletproof vests, Chicago police officers probably are glad they have them: July 2020 was Chicago’s bloodiest month since September 1992; 570 people were shot and 107 slain last month.
In the Windy City, gun violence is more of a threat than the coronavirus, which the establishment media likes to paint as the apocalypse.
On Father’s Day weekend, the number of residents shot in Chicago exceeded the number of people in the entire state of Illinois who lost their lives to COVID-19.
Making matters worse is the presence of the leftist group Black Lives Matter.
The group held a pro-looting rally in Chicago last weekend, with one BLM organizer describing the robbery of stores as a form of “reparations.”
Even liberal activist Jesse Jackson condemned what took place in Chicago this week:
This act of pillaging, robbing & looting in Chicago was humiliating, embarrassing &morally wrong. It must not be associated with our quest for social justice and equality. #DrKing, #MedgarEvers & #JohnLewis, our martyrs, cry together in shame. #StopTheViolence #SaveTheChildren pic.twitter.com/UxTJYVq51l
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) August 10, 2020
Yet, some politicians still like to behave as if this left-wing violence does not exist.
Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and anti-Trump partisan hack, dismissed the far-left group Antifa’s reign of terror in the left-wing city of Portland, Oregon, as a “myth.”
Sadly, groups such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa seem to have more political influence and favor with liberal leaders than with the police.
While Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot apparently did not have the ability to give the police money for bulletproof vests, she saw the removal of a Christopher Columbus statue as an issue of dire importance.
Lightfoot caved to the mob after left-wing protesters targeted her home. The protests outside her home came as violent protesters tried to remove the statue by force.
Fortunately, the American people repeatedly have demonstrated their affection for the police.
In Washington, D.C., an African immigrant delivered food to the local police, whom she described as “heroes.” And a restaurant in Florida has declared itself a “safe haven” for the police.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned patriots who respect the police do not run major U.S. cities, where far-left activists have had some measure of success in their efforts to defund the police.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council decided to cut $1.5 billion from the city’s police department in the midst of a crime spree.
Hopefully, sooner rather than later, the Chicago Police Department will be able to count on the city government to provide its members with the money needed to pay for bulletproof vests.
Until then, they are lucky to have loyal supporters in the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation willing to help them with that expense.
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