Chip reports on criminal justice from WBEZ’s bureau on Chicago’s West Side. His investigative and narrative reporting has earned dozens of local and national awards. He is a three-time winner of the Chicago Headline Club’s annual award for “best reporter” in broadcast radio.
Before Chip joined WBEZ in 2006, his base for three years was Bogotá, Colombia. He reported from conflict zones around that war-torn country and from several other Latin American nations. The reporting reached U.S. audiences through NPR, the BBC and daily newspapers including the Dallas Morning News and the Christian Science Monitor.
From 1995 to 2003, Chip focused on immigration and Latin America as editor of Connection to the Americas, winner of the 2003 Utne Independent Press Award for “general excellence” among newsletters nationwide.
Chip was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and raised in nearby Falcon Heights. He earned a B.A. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In Chicago, he lives with his partner and their daughter on the Northwest Side, where they founded the Humboldt Park Gators, an all-girls baseball team.
Chip Mitchell

Stories by Chip Mitchell
Will Chicago Police Union President John Catanzara Resign? Don’t Hold Your Breath.
The public has no role in choosing Fraternal Order of Police leaders. And Catanzara retains support among cops — especially white cops.
Chicago Police Union President Says He’s ‘Sorry’ For Backing Capitol Rioters
“I brought negative attention to our lodge, the FOP family and law enforcement in general,” John Catanzara wrote.
Chicago Police Union President Defends Those Who Stormed The U.S. Capitol
John Catanzara, elected to represent 12,000 police officers, echoes President Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen.
Kenosha Police Officer Won’t Be Charged For Shooting Jacob Blake
Blake, who is Black, was reaching into his car as officers tried to arrest him Aug. 23. A white officer fired multiple shots into Blake’s back, leaving him partially paralyzed.
Kyle Rittenhouse Is Expected To Plead Not Guilty To Kenosha Killings
City officials are also bracing for protests as a decision on whether to charge the cop who shot Jacob Blake is expected soon.
As Pandemic Rages On, Illinois Delays Fines For Understaffed Nursing Homes
WBEZ found higher COVID-19 death rates at facilities with lower staffing coverage. But a state crackdown on understaffed homes will wait.
COVID-19 Is Killing More Illinois Nursing Home Residents Than Ever
The state Department of Public Health reported 605 deaths in weekly data released Friday.
Vaccinations In Illinois Nursing Homes Are Delayed As Federal Shipments Lag
The effort to vaccinate nursing home residents in Illinois is delayed before it begins, as federal shipments of vaccines are cut in half.
As Pandemic Wears On, Nursing Home Residents Make Up A Smaller Share Of Illinois Deaths
Over the past five weeks, nursing home residents have made up 43% of COVID fatalities. During a five-week span last spring, they were 66%.
COVID-Positive Jail Population Drops Slightly After Month-Long Surge
Cook County inmates with COVID climbed for more than four weeks before reaching a Friday peak of 267. By Sunday evening, the figure was 227.