The dispatcher, who's a former Los Angeles cop, blames the rise in violence in Chicago on Lightfoot for police staffing shortages.
A Chicago 911 dispatcher is stirring up controversy over his viral comments slamming Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
“This mayor does not care about Chicago police officers, period,” Keith Thornton said in a video on social media.
“I pray you are watching this, because you're a disgrace, and I am tired of it,” the dispatcher continued.
Just months ago, Thornton was lauded for his precise coordination in the Chicago police shooting that killed Officer Ella French and wounded her partner.
But today the dispatcher is making headlines for the 28-minute long Facebook video criticizing Lightfoot. Thornton, a former Los Angeles cop, blames the rise in violence in Chicago on Lightfoot for police staffing shortages.
Theft is up in Chicago and the surrounding areas. And there have been more than 794 murders in the city in 2021, which is a 61% increase since 2019.
When asked by Inside Edition senior correspondent Lisa Guerrero if the video was the right way to voice his displeasure, Thornton said, “When you have someone who’s a police officer, sworn member, who’s telling me that they are scared for their lives because of the manpower shortages, you know, that’s a problem.”
Guerrero responded, “As you’ve mentioned, there is a manpower problem with the Chicago police department. A lot of these problems with the police force are because they refuse to get vaccinated and they are out with COVID. This doesn’t have anything to do with your mayor.”
“This is a problem with the mayor, because there should be no mandate. Many officers are actually vaccinated, but they do not want to report and let their job know that they are vaccinated, because it’s their right — medical,” Thornton said.
Mayor Lightfoot is now calling on the U.S. attorney general to send in federal agents to crack down on illegal guns.
“I’ve also asked to send additional federal marshals to Chicago to assist the sheriff and the CPD to find and bring to justice the thousands of individuals wanted on warrants,” Lightfoot said at a press conference.
The mayor's office did not respond to a request for comment.
