A Safer City
A WTTW News reporting initiative diving deep into neighborhood crime, violence and public safety as residents, policymakers and community groups work to address the growing issue.
According to Chicago Police Department data, 24 people were shot in 18 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former middle school teacher, told WTTW News on Thursday’s “Chicago Tonight” that he would give his administration an A-minus “at least for style,” with much more work to be done.
In recent years, research reviews have begun to conclude there’s enough evidence to say which public health interventions prevent shootings, which do not, and which need more study.
The size of the Chicago Police Department is essentially unchanged since Mayor Brandon Johnson took office 100 days ago. There are 12,363 employees, including 11,722 sworn officers.
Six interagency law enforcement task forces received grant funding this spring to combat car thefts through an initiative of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office.
In Illinois, the chamber estimates more than $2 billion worth of goods were stolen from retailers in 2021, but it says the cost to Illinois businesses was more than double that when other factors are taken into account.
The latest in our series WTTW News: A Safer City highlights the sharp rise in vehicle thefts — and how to protect your car. Efforts to get kids to school safely. And the impact retail theft has on local businesses.
There’s been an increase in carjackings nationwide, but Chicago is reporting more incidents than any other city in the U.S.
As students return, so to do the Safe Passage workers who are tasked with making sure students make it and from school safely.
Adding to the problem, the Chicago Police Department has linked several recent robbery sprees to stolen vehicles. That comes as carmakers Kia and Hyundai face scrutiny for failing to provide adequate security systems for their cars.
According to Chicago Police Department data, seven people were killed over the weekend between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. During that time 40 people were shot in total, in 33 separate incidents.
If confirmed as superintendent, Larry Snelling faces a delicate balancing act — addressing the crime and violence that have plagued Chicago while also changing the way CPD trains and disciplines its officers.
Chief Larry Snelling, tapped by Mayor Brandon Johnson to lead the Chicago Police Department, served as an expert witness in more than two dozen civil and criminal cases involving police officers, according to court records reviewed by WTTW News.
Pending City Council approval, Larry Snelling faces leading the Chicago Police Department at a time when residents are demanding answers to the city’s perennial problem of violent crime. He will also have to lead the department through the transformational change demanded by a court-ordered consent decree.
Public transit and amenities like theaters, parks, libraries and grocery stores make neighborhoods more livable and appealing. But do they actually make them safer?
Neighborhood development and transit options are one way to make neighborhoods more livable, local advocates say. That’s why a coalition of organizations, artists, authors and developers are all working to advance the goal of equitable transit-oriented development.