A Chicago alderman told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that city officials still want to divert funding away from the police department, even though the city was once again the nation’s homicide capital in 2024. 

“I said this for the last two mayors too,” said 41st Ward Alderman Anthony Napolitano. “It’s not even so much so that these last two administrations are turning a blind eye. They’re ignoring the crime rate because their objective … is to demonize the police department, make it seem like there’s not there’s not as much of a crime issue as there is, because their goal is to steal the police budget.”

In 2024, Chicago had 573 homicides, leading the nation in that category for the 13th year in a row. The homicide rate per 100,000 residents in the city was five times higher than New York City’s 377, and three times higher than Los Angeles’ 280, according to an analysis by Wirepoints.

Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago, during an inauguration ceremony at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on May 15, 2023. (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“The federal government didn’t give us anything when [Democrats] were in office,” he said. “Now when the administration changed, we’re getting absolutely nothing at all because we’re remaining a sanctuary city, which I was adamantly against in my 10 years in office. So this is just one failure after the next.”

Chicago police conduct an investigation after a shooting on Wabash Avenue between Madison and Washington streets on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

He also said that his constituents are furious because in his ward, there is not a lot of violent criminal activity, meaning that police resources are directed away from the district to deal with violent crime elsewhere.

That means when a burglary or other minor crime takes place in the 41st Ward, residents have a more difficult time getting the help they need. 

“So it’s an evolution of just pure bull—- by these people,” he said. “The last two administrations are the worst this city has ever seen.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office.