Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials unveiled a summer safety plan Friday ahead of Memorial Day weekend, including increased youth programs and expanded police presence across Chicago.
The holiday has historically marked a spike of street violence in the city, lasting throughout the summer. Though Chicago violence has decreased in recent years, dozens were shot over the last Memorial Day weekend.
“I will not rest and my administration will not rest until we tackle this problem and stop the violence,” Johnson said at a news conference inside the Chicago Cultural Center.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said the department will put additional officers on the street by canceling certain days off and adding overtime hours, but he said that the effort would be “strategic” and “deliberate.” The practice has drawn scrutiny in years past.
“We’re dealing with human beings here, who have families,” Snelling said. “We can’t just blindly cancel days off and expect people to show up to work the way we would like to see them work.”
Officials also encouraged parents to be watchful of their children once school lets out. It was unclear if Johnson planned to implement a youth curfew downtown, a tactic employed over the past two summers. In May 2022, a 16-year-old was fatally shot near the Bean, leading to a temporary ban on unaccompanied minors in the Millennium Park after 6 p.m.
“There are ongoing conversations around how we create safe spaces, as well as time for our young people,” Johnson said. “We have to make sure that we’re keeping people safe, but we also have to make sure that we’re not placing restrictions that ultimately lead to a deeper level of frustration that could manifest in another part of the city.”
City officials touted increased youth programming, including summer jobs, residential play areas and a new youth peacemaker program. Dozens of teens will participate in the program, where they will be trained to de-escalate situations and learn how to keep peace in their community.
“In order to have a great summer, we must also work hard to make it a safe summer, particularly for our children,” said Rosa Escareño, the general superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District.
Johnson cited his administration’s continued efforts to invest in communities that frequently experience violence.
“Murders are down, shootings are down, but there is still so much work to be done,” Johnson said. “Every initiative that is undertaken is but a small step in a long and very difficult journey towards lasting peace.”
