Story highlights "I can criticize the mayor. Not Donald Trump," Roberts said

Chicago homicides were up 60% from 2015 to the highest levels in 20 years

(CNN) Former Chicago Police Officer Dimitri Roberts said Donald Trump does not have a right to criticize Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for the city's homicide rate.

"Donald Trump doesn't have the right to criticize the mayor," he told CNN's Chris Cuomo Tuesday on "New Day." "The community members that are losing their lives, the community members that are in this city that are fighting this fight everyday, those are the folks that can criticize the mayor."

"I can criticize the mayor. Not Donald Trump," Roberts added.

The President-elect tweeted Monday that Emanuel should seek federal assistance to combat homicides in the nation's third-largest city.

"Chicago murder rate is record setting -- 4,331 shooting victims with 762 murders in 2016. If Mayor can't do it he must ask for Federal help!" Trump tweeted.

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