Chicago PD Cancels Regular Day Off for Officers as Violence Spikes

Chicago police officers received a notice Saturday afternoon on behalf of First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter that all full-duty officers will have one of their two regular days off canceled, according to a law enforcement source.

The notice also reminded officers that the use of elective time, also known as personal time off from work, is still restricted and will require approval from a deputy chief or higher rank to be used. The notice does not specify an end date for the day-off cancellation.

This is the latest move by the Police Department to cancel days off for officers this year. There were stretches of day-off cancellations and shift extensions to 12-hour days in 2020 and 2021 amid concerns about rising violence in the city.

While the most recent notice gave no reason for the day-off cancellation, the disclosure of this Police Department order comes as the city grapples with one of its worst years for violence in two decades.

Through Nov. 7, there were 3,852 people shot in Chicago, compared with 3,528 the previous year, according to Chicago police data. Homicides were up from 677 in 2020 to 698 in 2021 as of the same time.

The department policy also comes as the nation awaits a verdict that could be announced early this week in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.

The frequency of the days-off cancellations and shift extensions has been an ongoing complaint by Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police, which says the move contributes to officer fatigue and low morale.

Last month, officers received the notice about the use of elective time by sworn CPD members is restricted and will require approval from someone with the rank of deputy chief or higher.

That move to restrict time off for officers, which is often reserved for historically violent holiday weekends, was seen by some in the department as preparation for potential staffing shortages over mass noncompliance with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

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