Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Fred Waller, the Chicago Police Chief announced, on Jan. 7, 2018, 53 new police officers have been deployed. This is the first step of the plan to grow the department by 1,000 officers.
Emmanuel said they are putting more officers on the streets from “the far north side to the far south side to the west side and neighborhoods in between.” The plan it to remove guns, gangs, and drugs from the streets.

Each of these men and women who are hitting the street today know that they can make a difference, and each of them will help us all achieve a better tomorrow.

The 53 new recruits have completed training at the Police Academy and their initial field training. They will be required to participate in the new in-service training requirement. They will start with 16 hours of mandatory training. By 2021, all officers will be required to participate in 40 hours of continuing education each year.

Chief Waller said that he was proud to welcome the next generation of police officers. He is looking forward to a safer Chicago. Waller is also hoping to build bridges of communication between the officers and the community.

These new officers have received training based upon best practices in law enforcement and will focus their efforts to hold violent offenders accountable and become true community police officers.

In the last year, over 1,000 new recruits have entered the Police Academy. The Academy is six months long. Cadets learn all the applicable laws and protocols to become a Chicago Police Officer. Additionally, recruits receive physical training, instruction in procedural justice, crisis intervention, de-escalation use of force, community building and critical thinking. They also receive training in cultural sensitivity at the DuSable Museum where recruits learn the history of Chicago communities.

Upon completion of the six months at the Academy, recruits must complete three months of field training. During this period, cadets are paired with Filed Training Officers for hands-on experience.

The 53 newly deployed officers are part of the “Be the Change” recruitment campaign. This reflects the belief that the new generation of officers will “lay the groundwork for a more diverse department.” These are future leaders who will define how police protect, server, support and work together with Chicago communities.

Written by Jeanette Smith

Source:

Chicago Police: Community Alert

Image Courtesy of Michael Kappel’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License