Larry Snelling one step closer to becoming next Chicago police superintendent
CHICAGO (CBS) – The man tapped to become Chicago's next police superintendent is one step closer to securing the job. A City Council committee voted Friday to move the process forward.
Before council members began questioning Chief Larry Snelling, he was greeted by a round of applause.
Snelling joined the Chicago Police Department in 1992 as a patrol officer in Englewood and then a sergeant in Morgan Park. After a nationwide search and input from the community and a civilian board, Mayor Brandon Johnson recommended him for the job.
Before the vote, the Committee on Police and Fire spent hours asking Snelling about his plans for public safety, retaining and recruiting officers, and department reform.
"Young people who once said 'I want to be the police,' don't feel that way now," Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) asked Snelling during the meeting. "So how are we going to fix those relationships?"
Snelling responded, "When people say 'I don't trust the police,' and 'I don't want to be a part of it,' you tell me where you can go in this country and not find problems. If we're going to get ahead of this, if we're going to get better, then we're going to have to be a part of the solution."
With approval from the committee, the full City Council is expected to hold a vote on his appointment next Wednesday. Snelling would then officially be sworn in as superintendent.