@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵1: The committee reconvenes at 1:32 p.m. after a break. Ald. Le Spata asks new Chief of Police Snelling if he expects officer overtime costs to exceed the budget this fiscal year, as it has the past 5 yrs. "We are going to be a lot more fiscally responsible," Snelling said.

@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵2: Snelling however lists events including the NASCAR race, Democratic National Convention and an increase in protests as necessitating officer overtime, but he will evaluate what the city "gets from that overtime."

@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵3: Ald Nugent asks if the police department is open to working with the Illinois National Guard to handle the migrant crisis. Snelling says yes. "Our officers are paying a heavy toll psychologically seeing that every day," Snelling said of migrants living in police stations.

@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵4: Nugent says the police department is "not in a good position" to apprehend people fleeing from police considering its restrictions on car and foot chases and a lack of helicopters. Snelling says cops can pursue cars, but must balance safety abc7chicago.com/chicago-police…

@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵5: Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez references the Office of the Inspector General's report in her question: "We've seen reports that ShotSpotter is an ineffective technology ... how does CPD evaluate the efficacy of the technology it uses?" igchicago.org/wp-content/upl…

@KateLinderman4 @CHIdocumenters 🧵6: Snelling says the department evaluates its technology by the info it provides officers before responding to a scene. He invites anyone in the council to see how ShotSpotter works from within to understand it before judging it.

🧵7: Rodriguez-Sanchez asks if retired officers' ties to extremist organizations like the Oath Keepers will be investigated, CPD says yes, but there will be no repercussions regarding pensions or post-retirement benefits. graphics.suntimes.com/extremism-rank…

🧵8: Snelling supports the Treatment Not Trauma ordinance that Rodriguez-Sanchez has proposed which would send healthcare providers to 911 calls regarding mental health instead of cops. "It frees up our officers to deal with violent crime," Snelling said. blockclubchicago.org/2023/07/25/tre…

🧵9: Ald. Beale asks if Snelling is in favor of the COP House; he says yes. It's a model of community policing based on a system in Racine, Wis., which allows community members to interact with police in their neighborhood. It will be privately funded. cbsnews.com/chicago/news/p…

🧵10: Ald Martin: What changes is CPD making to stay closer to its overtime budget? Snelling says officers calling off day-of and increased protests increase overtime. District commanders will be in charge of managing their own overtime budgets & accountable for going over

🧵11: CPD is adding 22 civilian domestic violence victim advocates to respond to DV cases and non-fatal shooting victims. The goal is to build community trust and collaborate with DV organizations for victim support.

🧵12: "I feel really comforted having you in the role," Ald Vasquez says after thanking Snelling. He asks will salary increases & retention bonuses add to budget. CPD: There's no agreement with the FOP for annual retention bonuses, just one time bonus at the beginning of '24

🧵13: Ald Vasquez: Are the $2 billion in CPD funds being used effectively? Snelling stresses transparency and openness to auditing. Promises to be fiscally responsible and hold others accountable during his term; he'll have a better answer after he's more established in role

🧵14: Ald Nicole Lee asks about challenges officers face dealing with migrants in police stations. "The challenge is more mental than anything else; seeing that every day," Snelling says. Officers are also concerned about illness spreading in the stations blockclubchicago.org/2023/05/22/for…

🧵15: Lee: How is CPD tracking migrants who commit crimes? Chief McDermott: Difficult to track migrant arrestees without home addresses, but CPD gathers fingerprints and pictures at the time of arrest like anyone else charged with a crime

🧵16: Because of Sanctuary City status, CPD doesn't report arrests to other public service agencies working to house or shelter migrants. However, it does work to separate offenders from victims of reported crimes when migrants are moved to shelters

🧵17: Ald. Maria Hadden says the majority of traffic stops in her ward are concentrated in low-income and Black and brown communities, and these constituencies feel harassed by the police. She appreciates beat cops walking around and interacting with the communities in her ward

🧵18: Ald. Chico of the 10th Ward, bordering Indiana, stresses the need for better communication between CPD and In. authorities as people can flee across state lines to avoid being arrested. Snelling says communication has been improving among CPD & neighboring municipalities.

🧵19: Ald Sposato: How will CPD fulfill its promise to promote 200 officers to detectives without decimating officer ranks? Snelling said it's a gradual process so as not to deplete officers on patrol.

🧵20: Back to the Oath Keepers, a theme for today's hearing, Sposato asks if there have been any complaints about officers being in extremist groups CPD says no; The only information ab officers' membership in these groups is from the WBEZ investigation wbez.org/stories/27-cur…

🧵21: Chief Navales of constitutional policing says CPD has a good level of compliance with the consent decree & will continue to be a priority Consent Decree info linked below: home.chicagopolice.org/community-poli…

🧵22: Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez asks what the collaboration between police and elected police district councils looks like CPD: Commanders will attend monthly meetings, working towards a collaborative, more than instructive, relationship with the councils chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

🧵23: Ald. Sigcho-Lopez: How much is budgeted to buy used military equipment, and what equipment is currently being used by CPD? CPD: Bought a helicopter once, but this budget there are no funds allotted for any more purchases of that nature this fiscal year

🧵24: CPD hires community organizers and youth outreach coordinators and tracks their community engagements; says there are about 16,000 engagements per year. CPD surveys communities monthly about perceptions of safety & largest crime concern to track efficacy of organizers

🧵25: CPD is working with the Dept. of Family Services to establish a youth diversion program to prevent minors from entering the criminal legal system for low-level offenses. Policies have changed to prioritize diversion where possible, including re-training detectives

🧵26: Ald. Fuentes asks if Spt. Snelling is familiar with the Peacebook Ordinance. "No," Snelling says. The Peacebook Ordinance is a restorative justice oriented program spearheaded by South and West Side youth organizers and organizations. erasethedatabase.com/peace-book/

🧵27: Going back to Ald. Fuentes' question about youth diversion, the new program is intended to replace the lapsed Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (JISC) to be more trauma-informed and fulfill the youth portion of the Consent Decree chicago.gov/city/en/sites/…

🧵28: Ald. Ruth Cruz inquires about mental health support for police officers. CPD has: - added clinicians open for appointments w/ officers - offered yoga classes - provided an app for mental healthcare - allowed supervisors to recommend officers for mental healthcare

🧵29: Ald. Lawson: Is there a directive about officers conduct with migrants in the stations in light of misconduct allegations? Snelling: CPD has conversations with officers about treating everyone respectfully. Officers have bought food and toys for kids living in the stations

🧵30: Snelling stresses that officers are directed to treat migrants and all other Chicagoans the same in terms of courtesy, respect and enforcement of crimes. CPD is cognizant of migrants' situations and want to be welcoming while imparting cultural norms about public space

🧵31: Acting Chief DeVries from the counter-terrorism division says crime is down 7% on the CTA. Nonetheless, he says 36 more officers have been budgeted for the CTA for this fiscal year. transitchicago.com/cta-crime-cont…

🧵32: Ald Manaa-Hoppenworth asks about the establishment of an office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion division within CPD. CPD plans to implement a DEI division and hire for roles at the beginning of 2024.

🧵33: Ald Knudsen: In light of increased hate crimes, what is the role of the hate crime victim advocate? CPD: 2024 budget is looking to add 1 hate crime advocate. The advocate will track patterns and collaborate with community organizations chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

🧵34: Ald Debra Silverstein follows up on Knudsen's question about the hate crimes position. "I feel very strongly that we need more than 1 or 2 officers," Silverstein said. She says hate crimes are increasing yet underreported. home.chicagopolice.org/statistics-dat…

🧵35: Silverstein has been working to strengthen the City's hate crime policy by allowing residents to report less serious "hate incidents," which may be precursors to hate crimes, to 311 chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2023…

🧵36: Snelling says that many youth arrested for carjackings are inspired by popular video games, like Grand Theft Auto. In 2021, Illinois lawmakers unsuccessfully proposed banning the game chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-…

🧵37: He says there must be accountability and behavior change for youth who commit carjackings and ensure they don't become ensnared in the criminal legal system as they grow up.

🧵38: Ethnicity breakdown of this year's graduating class from Chicago Police Academy: -30% white -33% Hispanic - 31% Black - about 5% Asian

🧵39: At 5:34, the committee takes a break to give Superintendent Snelling a breather. No time is specified, but committee chair Alderperson Ervin said "a few minutes."

🧵40: The Committee returns at 5:43 p.m. for the alderpersons asking a second round of questions. Ald. Lee kicks her second round of questions asking if CPD has any drones. Snelling: We are working through a drone program that isn't operational yet ...

🧵41: Chief of counter-terrorism says CPD has identified a company to partner with, and drones will be used to re-create crime scenes or find bodies. In accordance with Illinois law, the drone company will maintain a public website listing the reason for each drone flight.

🧵42: Ald Lee, who represents the 11th Ward which covers Chinatown, inquires about the hiring of Asian officers, specifically ones who speak Mandarin or Cantonese. CPD says they're on track with hiring Asian officers, but don't have # of Mandarin/Cantonese-speakers on hand.

🧵43: Chairperson Ervin dismisses the committee at 6:27 p.m. Thanks for following along!! Keep up with the rest of budget season by following @CHIdocumenters