Daley Keeping Security Detail After Leaving Office

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 5, 2011 9:00PM

Not only will Mayor Daley immediately start collecting a $184,000 annual pension the day after he leaves office, he'll also retain a security detail.

Now this is a courtesy, and when you've been mayor for as long as May Day and been a polarizing figure for most of that time in office, you'd probably take it as well. Daley said as much when asked to defend his decision.

“I’ve been mayor for 22 years and my wife has made a commitment [to the city]. … Former mayors received security appropriately. … It’s appropriate for every former mayor. Yes, it’s always appropriate.”

Except that former Mayor Jane Byrne has long claimed that she was never offered a security detail after she left office and considers it unnecessary. Taxpayers were also responsible for a security detail that maintained a presence outside the Daley family homestead in Bridgeport long after Daley's father, Richard J. Daley, died.

Byrne said she doesn't think Daley's request for a security detail or unconfirmed reports that he requested personal vehicles for himself and wife Maggie are warranted. "As (Daley) said, there’s only one mayor at a time," Byrne told the Sun-Times. "There’s no need to give somebody protection for the rest of their life."

Fraternal Order of Police President questions the timing of the request, given that the Police Department is 2,300 officers per day short of authorized strength and the police rank-and-file weren't exactly the biggest fans of Daley even during better times.