Chicago police superintendent lays out 2024 goals for department

CHICAGO - While many of us are going to set our New Year's resolutions in about two weeks, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling laid out CPD's goals for 2024 at Truman College Monday night. 

Those goals range from forging better cooperation between the community and officers to improving officer wellness.

"As a police department, we cannot do this alone," said Snelling, who said community policing and citizen collaboration with officers are two of his top goals for 2024 to solve crimes and keep neighborhoods safe. "Community members should feel empowered to collaborate with law enforcement. This is very, very important right now. I don't know if anybody understands how important it is."

Along with that, he's pushing data-driven crime-fighting, quality detective investigations, improved officer morale, and individualized public safety plans by the district.

On the morale front, CPD has already cut back overtime and eliminated mandatory overtime.

"If our officers are well, healthy, mentally well, they're going to work better and harder for you," said Snelling.

During public comment, several citizens slammed CPD for racial disparities when it came to traffic stops. 

Snelling said officers have done fewer since he took over as superintendent, but said to completely do away with traffic stops is a "non-starter" in part because of all the carjackings.

"We have an abundance of stolen vehicles in the City of Chicago, and we also realize that those vehicles are being used in secondary crimes," he said.

Those crimes include other carjackings and violent robberies of women, the elderly and children that have at times turned deadly. 

The Chicago Police Department, along with COPA and the Police Board, will finalize and formalize its 2024 goals in January.