Johnson was on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” when Joe Scarborough pressed him on the issue several times. This comes as crime has dropped significantly in Washington, DC as the Trump administration has deployed the National Guard and federalized law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
Scarborough asked, “Would you also like to get federal funding to help put 5000 more cops on the street in Chicago? Would that help drive down crime?”
Johnson said, “Policing by itself is not the full strategy,” dodging the question. Scarborough then pressed again.
Johnson, dodging once again, referred to the time when he was in high school and there were “3,000 more police officers” in the city, but there were “900 people being murdered every single year,” and then turned back to the talking point that it is “just not policing alone.”Scarborough asked again, “You’ve told me everything else you want. I’m curious, and this, this does come down to an ideological difference between people. Do you believe that the streets of Chicago would be safer if there were more uniformed police officers on the streets of Chicago?”
Johnson again did not give a straight answer, but said that “affordable housing” will bring down crime.
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Johnson, again, dodging the yes-or-no question, said, “I don’t believe we should narrow it down to just police officers,” and that having more police is an “antiquated approach.””I’m agreeing with you that all of these other social programs are extraordinarily important,” Scarborough added.
Johnson, again, did not answer, and then said that Chicago needs a “full package” policy outlook, with police and other social programs, and then touted investment in the “detectives bureau.” Johnson then placed blame on the federal government for not working with Chicago more in law enforcement efforts.