New CPD Leader Promises Transparency and Proactive Policing

In his first interview, Larry Snelling, the new superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, said that fostering a greater understanding of police officers’ role in society is paramount if the department is to achieve its reform and community relations goals, reports Sam Charles for the Chicago Tribune.

Snelling said that, thus far, the police have done a poor job of explaining what real constitutional, proactive police work looks like and that they have to do better. “I think we can police proactively and have our community members understand what we’re doing,” Snelling said. He is now in the process of deciding on who will make up his command staff after taking over the role of superintendent from David Brown, who resigned following former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s failure to qualify for the runoff election. Brown, who was unpopular among CPD officers and leadership, was the one who promoted Snelling twice, first to deputy chief of Area 2 on the Far South Side and then to chief of counterterrorism.