Mayor Brandon Johnson announces Chicago's summer safety plan ahead of busy Memorial Day weekend
Several Chicago festivals, events, and concerts are happening this Memorial Day weekend to kick off the unofficial start to summer, but the warmer months also typically bring a rise in violent crime. With that in mind, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling outlined their summer safety plans on Thursday.
City leaders said it will be a collaborative effort with community leaders.
"City government alone cannot bring that healing that our communities need. We need everyone to rally together in this moment," Johnson said.
From packed street festivals like Sueños to Chicago's beaches officially opening for the swimming season, Memorial Day weekend starts a fun-filled summer for Chicago, but it can also bring safety concerns.
Data shows last Memorial Day weekend, 41 people were shot in Chicago, 12 of them fatally.
As the mayor outlined the city's summer safety plan, Johnson said shootings overall this year are down 36% compared to the same time last year; homicides and other violent crimes are down 21%.
In order to keep violence down, the mayor called on help from community groups, like Brilliance and Excellence, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safe and peaceful communities.
Two years ago, the group created a proposal called Operation Trend. They would work with churches, businesses, and other youth organizations from their community to bring kids downtown and supervise them. They brought their plan to the mayor's team, but never heard back.
"The Operation Trend, that still needs to be a conversation that we took to City Hall. You were there. You followed us all the way through. We still haven't had a chance to really share our 13-page plan about Operation Trend," said Vondale Singleton, founder and CEO of CHAMPS Mentoring.
Singleton said they have real solutions, but it will take resources and a concerted effort from everyone, something they hope they can accomplish this summer season.
"We're talking about decades of disinvestments. It's going to take all of us as a collective to respond to decades-old problems," Johnson said.
The CTA said, beginning June 23, they're going to give 250 students and young adults a 7-week paid summer internship.
To help keep violence down, the Chicago Park District said they're bringing back late-night basketball and soccer games to provide a safe nighttime activity for youths.
