Chicago police will divert some cops from neighborhoods to protect movie sets: report

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) reportedly ordered two commanders to divert some of their police from neighborhoods to film and TV production sets Friday, according to local news.

The orders came four days after officers responded to an incident at a film set on Monday, where a suspect "lit and threw an unidentified object" near the set on the 1000 block of South Desplaines Street near the University of Illinois at Chicago around 10:20 p.m.

The object did not explode, and no injuries were reported, according to police.

"The Chicago Police Department works closely with the city’s film and television community to provide safety and security for the production crews, as well as the communities in which they film," a CPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Chicago's downtown area, known as the Loop, and its surrounding neighborhoods are among areas impacted by the new diversion efforts, and CPD officials were already preparing for staffing shortages on Friday evening before the order went out, according to emails obtained by CWB Chicago.

Movie and TV production sets currently in Chicago are having trouble finding off-duty officers to help with security, CWB reported.

Area 3, which covers River North, River South, Near North and South Loop neighborhoods downtown, has seen year-over-year increases in all major crime categories, including homicide, aggravated assault, criminal sexual assault, robbery, burglary, theft and motor vehicle theft for the week ending Aug. 7. In total, all major violent crime categories have risen 66% since 2021, 61% since 2020, 26% since 2019 and 22% since 2018.

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