Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling lays out department's challenges at City Council budget hearing
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One day after the Chicago City Council voted down Mayor Brandon Johnson's $300 million property tax hike, alders sat down again to talk money—this time with regard to the Chicago Police Department.
Police Supt. Larry Snelling did not ask for more dollars. But he did present a case for the department to have the budget it needs for officers to do their jobs each day.
Snelling talked about the department's successes. He also laid out the challenges the department is facing—and how, following the imposition of a consent decree, it can help to create a culture change to form a top police department in the country.
"We need to find a much better way to work together to solve these problems," Snelling said in City Council Chambers.
The consent decree was ordered by a federal court in 2019. The decree's purpose was to end CPD's decades of systemic and excessive use of force in communities of color that contributes to the erosion of trust in the community. It also targeted the department's failure to hold officers accountable.
Snelling said officers have always put the safety of the public before their own, and go into some of the most volatile situations without thinking about themselves. He said while there is both praise and often criticism officers, they do their job.
"Because they understand the importance of keeping the city safe, because they see the dangers on the street every single day," Snelling said.
The superintendent also said the increase in high-capacity weapons has made being a police officer an increasingly dangerous job.
Since 2020, 330 police officers have been shot at. Thirty-eight of them, were shot, injured, or killed.
In the past four years, the department has lost five officers in the line of duty—officers Ella French, Andrés Vásquez Lasso, Aréanah Preston, Luis Huesca, and most recently Enrique Martinez.
While problems have been addressed, Snelling said more work needs to be done—and reform efforts are a priority.
"We are a department in transformation. We made a lot of progress and will continue full steam ahead to fulfill the obligations of our consent decree," Snelling said. "This is an opportunity to create the best possible department that we can for our officers, for our city, and for our citizens. It's not just about a document. It's about a culture change. It's about a lifestyle, a way of life. That's what we're working toward."
The superintendent also talked about making officer wellness a top priority, so that communities have the best police force.
