The officer has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder in the 2014 death of Laquan McDonald, a shooting that sowed an already-fertile mistrust between police and Chicagoans.
Advertisement
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson will announce the hires Wednesday, according to the official who was briefed on the plan and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the plan ahead of the announcement.
Johnson says the de-escalation training shows the public the department is doing everything it can to resolve conflicts peacefully. Emanuel is expected to deliver a Thursday speech on crime and policing.
He said he did not know how the additional force will be paid for.
In discussing the training, Snelling mentioned the December 2015 shootings of 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier and 55-year-old Bettie Jones.
Earlier this week, former Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy, who was sacked from his position following the release of the McDonald video, suggested that police officers have been put in an untenable situation.
Once the video was out, it sparked a storm of protests in the city.
Also casting a pall over the Chicago Police Department is Officer Jason Van Dyke’s trial, slated to begin later this year.
Chicago’s police chief is expected to announce that nearly 1,000 additional officers, detectives and command staff will be hired over the next two years, according to the reports. During that time, the call for more officers in several city neighborhoods and from aldermen has only gotten louder. Last week, Sgt. Bryan Topczewski was dubbed a hero and a boy’s “guardian angel” for his quick response to a shooting scene where 10-year-old Tavon Tanner had been hit by a stray bullet. The training was developed with both policing experts as well as mental health experts.
A police news release says Police Chief Chuck Jordan contacted the department through the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tulsa and will work with the agency to investigate Friday night’s shooting death of 40-year-old Terrence Crutcher.
Advertisement
The de-escalation training will use live scenarios to help prepare for complex situations and familiarize them with using different tactics, such as calmer approaches and slow movements.
