Chicago has 'work to do' despite lower violent crime numbers in 2024

[January 03, 2025]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center square) – Chicago’s police superintendent says he is proud of his department for its progress, but he also says there is still work to be done.

Superintendent Larry Snelling announced the city’s reduced violent-crime numbers for 2024 this week. Police reported an 8% reduction in homicides, a 7% reduction in shootings and a 4% reduction in shooting victims compared with 2023.

Snelling cited a year-over-year reduction in robberies and said officers took 12,700 guns off the street.

“There’s a lot of hard, dangerous work that goes into that, and our officers make us proud every single day as they do this type of work,” Snelling said.

With more than 570 homicides in 2024, police in Chicago reported fewer than 600 murders for the first time since 2019.

Snelling noted the city’s progress but said there is still work to do.

“We still have to go out and make sure that everyone feels safe across this city, no matter what neighborhood you’re in. Every single citizen of the city of Chicago deserves that, and that’s what we’re here for, to fight for their safety,” Snelling explained.

The superintendent recalled Officers Luis Huesca, James Crowley and Enrique Martinez, who died in the line of duty in 2024. Crowley passed away in August after suffering catastrophic injuries in a 1987 crash. Huesca was shot to death on April 21, 2024, and Martinez was fatally shot on Nov. 4, 2024.

Snelling thanked those who supported police and their families and said officers have joined citizens across the city in mourning victims.

“Because we understand this type of trauma as a police department and our loss, we also understand the losses and the trauma to families across the city, and these are the things that we want to put an end to,” Snelling said.

Chicago police officers monitor protesters at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
Greg Bishop | The Center Square

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Snelling to announce the reduced crime statistics.

“This year certainly reflects a coordinated effort and a coordinated plan that has been driven by people and our place-based approach,” Johnson said.

The mayor thanked police and alluded to other areas of his administration.

“Additionally, this year’s reductions, though, were the result of activating what I have called often, 'the full force of government,'” Johnson said.

HeyJackass.com reported somewhat different crime statistics than the Chicago Police Department, although the site also showed reductions in homicides, shootings and shooting victims.

Alderman Raymond Lopez, 15th Ward, a frequent critic of the mayor, cited HeyJackass.com and posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Like the failed property tax increase, this is a decrease from the increase.”

After an increase in robberies early in 2024, Chicago Police launched a citywide Robbery Task Force in May. The department reported that robberies decreased by 25% citywide since the launch of the task force, which to date has cleared 246 cases, including 158 robbery-related cases and 12 robbery patterns.