ORDINANCE
Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 4-340 by adding new Section 4-340-105 requiring special policemen at the airports to carry firearms
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is responsible for ensuring public safety at O'Hare International and Midway Airports; and
WHEREAS, City of Chicago police officers are the primary law enforcers at the airports; and
WHEREAS, these officers are supported by approximately three hundred unarmed aviation police officers ("APOs"); and
WHEREAS, APOs are certified by the state and annually required to be qualified to carry a firearm; and
WHEREAS, APOs are licensed as special policeman and are appointed as such on an annual basis by the City's Superintendent of Police; and
WHEREAS, it is long-standing City policy that APOs do not carry firearms while on duty, although they may choose to carry a weapon while off-duty; and
WHEREAS, because APOs are unarmed, when they encounter an armed individual they must request assistance from a Chicago police officer. Furthermore, there is a standing order that in the event of an active shooter APOs are to "run and hide", which is contrary to what police are trained to do; and
WHEREAS, all other major cities have officers at their airports who carry firearms; and
WHEREAS, armed APOs could do a better job of ensuring public safety and allow some police officers currently at the airports to be reassigned to provide much needed assistance in crime torn neighborhoods in Chicago; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Chapter 4-340 of the Municipal Code of the City of Chicago is hereby amended by creating Section 4-340-105 by inserting the language underlined as follows:
Q 4-430-105 Special police at the airnorts.
The uniform of every special policeman at the City's airports shall include a firearm provided by the special policeman. The firearm must meet the current requirements for firearms carried by sworn officers of the Chicago Police Dep...
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