Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy went on Good Day Chicago this morning to explain his criticism of his former department on CBS’ 60 Minutes this weekend.
“Some people looking at the Chicago police department say it is in crisis,” McCarthy was asked by Bill Whitaker on 60 Minutes.
“Crisis is a good word,” said McCarthy. “When people are dying, yes, there’s crisis, no two ways about it.”
His comments drew the attention of current top cop Eddie Johnson who disagreed with the characterization his department is in crisis.
Chicago saw 750 people murdered in 2016, which the New York Times reports, is a 58 percent increase over last year and the highest number since 1997.
“Well, the comments that I made, that was a two hour interview that was boiled down to, if I got two minutes of airtime I think that was a lot,” McCarthy told Kristen Nicole and Scott Schneider. “They didn’t examine why. They examined the what more than the why. Policing is in a state of crisis.”
He also clarified his comments about Black Lives Matter on a local radio show “getting black lives taken, because 80 percent of our murder victims here in Chicago are male blacks” after WFLD replayed the comments while he was on set.
“You just heard what I said,” said McCarthy. “I said a movement to save black lives, not an organization named Black Lives Matter and I am really glad you did that.”
“I can only control what I say,” he said. “I can’t control what people hear. I have never said that Black Lives Matter is getting people killed. I have talked about the factors that are influencing what’s happening here in Chicago.”