The maximum age for a starting Chicago police officer or firefighter would rise from 40 to 55, under a controversial proposal to bolster hiring that’s dismissed by union leaders as impractical.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), chair of the City’s Council’s Committee on Economic and Capital Development, acknowledged that policing and firefighting is, for the most part, a young person’s game.

But in pushing the proposal, he argues that there are still plenty of jobs, particularly in policing, that could be performed by rookies in their 50s.

“When you talk about Lollapalooza, you’re not dealing with gangbangers and drug dealers,” Villegas said. “There’ll be occasional fights that break out, but it’s not like you’re going into a gang-infested area or trying to break up a drug deal.”

“Crowds g

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