Chicago Police Change Mass Arrest Policy Ahead of Democratic National Convention

CHICAGO– Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling on Tuesday touted the nation's second-largest police department as fully prepared to handle crowds of protesters expected at the Democratic National Convention, including new ways to handle possible arrests massive.

Law enforcement officials have been preparing for more than a year for the August convention, which is expected to attract around 50,000 visitors and massive demonstrations.

“Make no mistake, we are ready,” Snelling said at a news conference alongside U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

Chicago police have received new de-escalation training, while about 3,000 officers are undergoing specialized training to “directly respond to civil unrest and the possibility of riots,” according to Snelling.

Proposed changes to how police handle mass arrests, which are still being finalized, include more reviews by on-site supervisors and debriefings afterward to see what worked and what didn't. didn't work.

“Mass arrests are a last resort,” Snelling said. “But we know the realities of these types of situations, especially when the number of people we expect to converge on Chicago is unavoidable and there is a risk of vandalism. There is a possibility of violence and we are prepared to deal with it.

More than 50 organizations plan to protest in Chicago, which has denied permits to demonstrate near the United Center convention site. That sparked lawsuits and groups pledging to protest whether they had a permit or not.

The department has been in the spotlight for its handling of large-scale events.

Chicago police generally received high marks for their handling of the NATO protests in 2012, but they were heavily criticized for their lack of preparation following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, when civil unrest broke out across the country. Last week, the city's Office of Inspector General said the department had made progress, but still had work to do when it came to large-scale events.

Snelling dismissed the report as inaccurate.

Cheatle was scheduled to visit convention sites this week in Chicago and Milwaukee, which will host the Republican National Convention in July.

Asked if last week's guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump presented any additional security concerns, she said there was no impact yet.

“Our goal is to ensure that we cover all potential challenges that we may face during this event and that we are fully prepared for it – and I believe we are,” she said.