The Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program, an initiative launched in 2018, offers those arrested for low-level drug offenses who meet certain criteria a chance to have their charges dropped if they agree to meet with a drug counselor.
A Safer City
According to the Chicago Police Department, there were nine separate armed robberies reported between 12:50 a.m. and 2 a.m. Thursday morning. In each incident, victims were approached by multiple armed males who took their belongings and then fled in a dark colored sedan.
Chicago is the center of attention when it comes to talking about crime data in a national context. Experts caution that interpreting numbers without examining the underlying influences can lead to misunderstandings.
America’s gun epidemic claimed more than 48,000 lives in 2022, federal data shows. And gun violence has become the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States. But most gun injuries are not fatal, leaving thousands of victims to live with the resulting trauma.
The latest in our series WTTW News: A Safer City. Where the Chicago Police Department stands on the consent decree. And how communities and police can build relationships.
Larry Snelling will become Chicago’s next police superintendent — if he’s confirmed by the Chicago City Council. The 30-year police veteran says he vows to improve community relations under his tenure.
The court-mandated oversight was prompted by the 2014 murder of teenager Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer. Almost five years later, the department is in full compliance with just over 5% of the requirements.
With the second week of classes already under way, WTTW News reporter Joanna Hernandez moderated a live virtual conversation on back-to-school safety for children and youth in Chicago as part of the WTTW News: A Safer City initiative.
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.
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.
