Chicago to host 6 virtual town halls to discuss crime prevention strategies

Mayor Lightfoot addresses city's efforts to curb neighborhood crime

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new plan Wednesday to address Chicago residents' concerns about violence.

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city leaders on Wednesday talked about addressing violence and trauma in a holistic way.

The city will hold six virtual town halls, designed for specific parts of the city, that will allow Chicagoans to share feedback, ask questions and start a dialogue with city leaders about crime prevention.

"As part of this strategy, we want to hear from our residents to learn what more we can do to wrap our arms around their communities," Lightfoot said in a statement. "The invaluable voices of residents will build upon the CSCC's holistic approach to community safety and help the City rapidly respond to the needs of Chicagoans."

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The effort comes months after the launch of Chicago's Community Safety Coordination Center (CSCC) last August, an effort to bring business leaders, nonprofits, youth organizations, teachers and spiritual leaders together to come up with meaningful ways to stop the violence.

"I know, I know here in my head and in my heart that the challenges facing our city are steep. And at times the situation can feel hopeless. But I promise, and I commit that the full weight of city government is committed every single day to making life better for everyone," Lightfoot said.

The Community Safety Coordination Center is putting a priority on West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Little Village and Englewood.

"We cannot just arrest our way out of this problem, but we can invest our way out of this problem for the long haul and we're very focused on doing just that," said Lightfoot.

Crime in Chicago has continued to rise the first two months of the year, with steep spikes in burglaries, thefts and stolen motor vehicles, according to the latest police data.

At least 88 people have been murdered in Chicago this year, up from 85 at the same time last year. Aggravated batteries are up 15%, robberies up 10% and sexual assaults up 9%, according to the data released Tuesday.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown says in 2022, carjackings are down 10-percent, shootings are down 5-percent, and homicides are down 1-percent compared to this time last year. He attributes that to stronger trust between the Chicago Police Department and residents.

"One of the clues about building trust is: are your clearance rates improving?" said Brown. "Because that speaks to people trusting you enough to help you with information to help you clear crimes."

The community safety town halls will take place between March 9-19. One CSCC representative and one CPD member will be available at each meeting to answer questions and provide an overview of the city's approach to crime prevention.