Ed Burke's $600,000 Bodyguards

By aaroncynic in News on Aug 4, 2011 3:20PM

According to figures released from City Hall, 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke’s security detail costs taxpayers nearly $600,000 per year. The Sun-Times reports the highest paid officer guarding the City Council Finance chair was paid $150,000 a year, and most other officers in the detail made more than six figures a year as well. The figures were made public after the Better Government Association filed suit eight months ago.

Burke has had the security detail for decades, partly due to threats during the “Council Wars” he fought with then Mayor Harold Washington. When the Chicago Police Department attempted to cut the detail in 1986, Burke sued and won. Mayor Emanuel plans to cut the detail from five officers to two retired cops.

In other Burke security detail news, Second City Cop posted a tip from one of his readers about running into Burke, with his security detail in tow, at a golf outing in Elkhart, WI.

Out comes two officers in suits. One officer go to the trunk and takes out a set of golf clubs. The other opens the rear door and out pops Alderman Burke. Burke then golfs the outing. Does he really need CPD protection to drive him to golf outings out of state???

Although that account is one person's take, we've been asking why he needs security in state.

Chuck Sudo contributed to this post.