Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson recently announced two significant\u00a0investments in the crime fight – 108 new police officers and five new patrol vehicles equipped with License\u00a0Plate Reader Technology aimed at stopping carjackings and recovering stolen vehicles.<\/p>\n
108 new officers hitting the street<\/strong> During their six-months of training at the Police Academy, recruits learned all applicable laws and protocols for\u00a0being a Chicago Police Officer. In addition to physical training, they received instruction in procedural justice,\u00a0crisis intervention and de-escalation, use of force, community building and critical thinking. Recruits also\u00a0received cultural awareness training at the DuSable Museum of African American History and the Illinois\u00a0Holocaust Museum and Education Center. This was followed by three months of field training, during which\u00a0officers are paired with Field Training Officers for hands-on guidance during their first in-the-field months.<\/p>\n Two thirds of the newly assigned officers identify as minority. The Chicago Police Department (CPD)’s ongoing\u00a0“Be the Change” recruitment campaign, reflects the belief that this new generation of police officers will lay\u00a0the groundwork for a more diverse department, and be future leaders who define how police support, protect,\u00a0and work together with Chicago’s communities. The next police entry exam will take place on May 5th at\u00a0McCormick Place.<\/p>\n Since the Mayor and CPD launched its aggressive hiring plan, the Department has had a net increase of 1,037\u00a0sworn personnel compared to January 1, 2017, including accounting for all retirements, attrition, and\u00a0promotions that occurred throughout 2017 and into 2018. The City is on track to meet the Mayor’s plan for\u00a0hiring an additional 1,000 officers by the end of 2018.<\/p>\n
\nThe 108 new police officers are now deployed to their first district assignments, with eight officers assigned to\u00a0each police district within the 42nd Ward: 1st (Central), 12th (Near West), and 18th (Near North).<\/p>\n