Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils initiative to reduce Chicago violence

Chicago's new mayor announced her safety plan for the city, as one of the busiest weekends for police approaches.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot launched the "Our City. Our Safety." initiative for the summer, promoting extensive activities for the city's youth.

"We're flooding the zone. We know the areas in the city where we believe there are challenges and we're going to make sure that we are physically present, that we're engaging with people in those neighborhoods and that we're bringing resources into those areas," Lightfoot said.

Last Memorial Day weekend, at least 7 were killed and 32 wounded by gunfire in the city despite hundreds of extra officers on the streets. This holiday weekend, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says 1,200 additional officers will be on patrol.

The FBI confirms they will be working with Chicago police as well. A dedicated team will patrol the CTA and a special task force of 100 discretionary officers will be at the city's disposal.

Mayor Lightfoot also plans to walk the neighborhoods day and night.

"I will be a visible presence on holiday weekends in particular and we will start with this weekend," she said.

Chicago parks will also be open during normal operating hours on the Memorial Day holiday, and all services and programs will be free for all residents of the city.

For more information on free programs, carnivals and events this weekend, go here: https://www.chicago.gov/summer