CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot spent millions of federal COVID-19 relief money on the personnel costs of the city’s police department. The Chicago Tribune reports of the $1.2 billion Chicago received from the federal government to help plug budget holes caused the drop of revenue due to the pandemic, $281.5 million went to the Chicago Police Department. Money also went to Chicago’s public health response to the pandemic, to homeless services and senior citizen assistance. Budget Director Susie Park said in June no relief money had been spent on police. But the Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday said specific coronavirus-related police costs from March through May were later identified for federal reimbursement.
