Roughly 180 CPD officers in specialized units moving back to their districts, mass transit

CHICAGO - FOX 32 Chicago has confirmed a new staffing shuffle underway within the Chicago Police Department. It means dozens of officers who've been tasked with battling gangs and drugs are getting a new assignment.

Sources tell FOX 32 the officers are heading back to their districts, or to public transit.

"On the front end, it sounds like it's a good thing that we have officers going back into the district. But if you're taking those officers from those specialized units that focus on those magnets of violence in those districts, you're actually going to do more harm than good," said Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward.

Critics like Alderman Lopez are pouncing on this latest reshuffling at CPD under the leadership of Superintendent David Brown.

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FOX 32 has confirmed this affects about a total of 180 officers who have been detailed on the specialized gang and narcotic units. Sources tell us they're getting a choice to go back to their districts or join the team protecting CTA.

Many aldermen have been saying they need more officers in their districts, on the beat, and answering 911 calls. However, Alderman Lopez believes this is not the answer.

"You can't rob Peter to pay for Paul. And that's exactly what the policy within the department has been doing. Rather than beefing up the manpower, both at the district level and in the specialized units, we're taking from one and putting into the other," said Lopez.

In a statement to FOX 32, CPD said: "the Department is not disbanding the gang or narcotics units. We are adjusting staffing levels, as we regularly review and adjust resources across the Department to ensure sufficient staffing across every bureau."

Hanging over all this is the need to fill hundreds of job openings at CPD.