Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters Monday morning that he spent a "good portion" of his weekend grieving with the elder Dennis, who is his friend.



In his nearly 30 years with the Police Department, Johnson said he's seen far too many parents like Dennis whose children won't be coming home.



"Quite frankly, I'm just sick of it," Johnson said at a news conference at police headquarters. "There's no other way to describe it. I'm just sick of it."



Johnson told reporters he and Officer Dennis were patrolmen together in the 1990s in the Gresham District on the South Side, and that the officer is "a good man who was raising a good kid."



"Any shooting victim in Chicago is unacceptable," said Johnson. "But this one hits home."



As he has many times, Johnson called for stricter prison sentences for repeat illegal gun offenders. Efforts over the years in Springfield to impose mandatory minimum sentences for people caught with an illegal gun have been stalled by lawmakers who felt such guidelines would disproportionately affect African-Americans and other minorities.



Without revealing specifics, Johnson said a new bill in the works in Springfield would enable judges to impose more sentences on the higher end of the range for felons convicted more than once of carrying a gun illegally.



It's unclear, however, if plea agreements would be covered.



"Any leader of the city of Chicago that thinks what we're seeing out on the streets is OK, shouldn't be a leader," Johnson said, flanked by other command staff. "Go in those neighborhoods and live there and tell me how you feel after a week.



"People are afraid of casting a large net over minority communities with holding people accountable. That's not what we're trying to do," he said. "These guys are doing this two, three, four, five times. They're clearly telling us they don't want to play by our rules."