City treasurer defends decision to hire private security at public expense

City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin on Monday defended her decision to hire private security - at taxpayers' expense - to replace a police bodyguard detail stripped away by Mayor Lori Lightfoot with less than 48 hours' notice.

Conyears-Ervin said the decision to reassign the two Chicago Police officers who had been protecting her was made in August, before a threat assessment was ever done to determine the risk to her personal safety. City treasurers have had police protection for 50 years.

She accused CPD of conducting a "sham assessment" after the fact to justify a decision that could not be justified, given the threats she has faced during her first 90 days in office.

The mayor's office issued a statement that said Lightfoot "stands by the security analysis conducted by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the subsequent termination of security detail for the Office of the Treasurer."

Conyears-Ervin's husband is Ald. Jason Ervin, chairman of the City Council's Black Caucus. He supported the failed mayoral campaign of County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

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