By ABC7 Chicago Digital Team
The head of the Fraternal Order of Police is appealing to President Donald Trump for help addressing what he describes as “chaos” in the city.
John Catanzara Jr., president of FOP Lodge 7, wrote a letter to the president on Saturday, in which he criticized Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a “complete failure.”
“Mayor Lightfoot has proved to be a complete failure who is either unwilling or unable to maintain law and order here,” Catanzara wrote. “I would be willing to sit down anytime and discuss ideas about how we can bring civility back to the streets of Chicago. These politicians are failing the good men and women of this city and the police department.”
A spokesperson for the mayor responded to the letter Saturday, saying “We will not dignify this or any other political stunt.”
“We will, however, continue to support the true, hardworking men and women of the police department,” the spokesperson said.
The letter comes amid harsh criticism of the city’s police department after clashes with protesters near the large statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park Friday night.
Many city and state officials condemned CPD’s response to the rally. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability has opened preliminary investigations into the “most egregious complaints” of police misconduct during the protests.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot addressed the “reports of excessive force by the police” in a statement Saturday.
“These are also unacceptable, and (COPA) will ensure that each of these is dealt with and investigated,” Lightfoot said.
President Donald Trump sent Lightfoot and Gov. Pritzker a letter criticizing their handling of violence in the city last month.
President Trump said he was “horrified” by recent surges in violence, comparing the city to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lightfoot responded by saying, “I don’t need leadership lessons from Donald Trump.”
“He’s using the victims of gun violence in our city to score cheap political points, spew racist rhetoric, and ignore the impact of COVID across this country. It is despicable, disgusting and all too typical,” she added.
This article originally appeared on ABC7 News.
