Chicago Preps More Cops To Stem Weekend Violence

Eddie Johnson speaks after being sworn in as the new Chicago police superintendent by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in April.
Eddie Johnson speaks after being sworn in as the new Chicago police superintendent by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in April. M. Spencer Green / AP Photo
Eddie Johnson speaks after being sworn in as the new Chicago police superintendent by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in April.
Eddie Johnson speaks after being sworn in as the new Chicago police superintendent by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in April. M. Spencer Green / AP Photo

Chicago Preps More Cops To Stem Weekend Violence

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Chicago’s top cop says he has more officers ready to hit the streets this weekend, following a violent Memorial Day holiday.

Nearly 60 people were injured in shootings, with six people killed during the 3-day Memorial Day weekend. That’s despite the city saturating some areas with police.

CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the crime numbers could have been worse. 

“This weekend we were in all the hotspots,” Johnson said Tuesday before the City Club of Chicago. “I wish I could track the number of crimes we prevented but we can’t. There is simply not a way to measure the violence that we stopped.”

Johnson says he has more officers ready to go this weekend if need be. Crime historically increases in the summer months in Chicago. 

“We have another 88 sergeants and 13 additional lieutenants ready to hit the streets next week, giving us more supervision and leadership where it’s needed in the more violent districts,” Johnson said. 

He says this year already, police have confiscated 3,500 illegal guns off the streets, exceeding last year’s stats. 

Johnson says there needs to be more help from the community to quell the violence. 

“The violence in Chicago is just not a police issue. It’s a Chicago issue. So, it just doesn’t take the police department. It’s going to take the police, the community, the elected officials, the clergy, the business owners. Everybody has a stake in this,” Johnson said. “The first place I would start, especially in the minority communities, parents have got to be parents. They’ve got to be parents.” 

Follow WBEZ Reporter Michael Puente on Twitter @MikePuenteNews