CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- An extra 1,300 police officers will be deployed across the city on New Year’s Eve, many of them focusing on downtown festivities and the fireworks display at Navy Pier, officials announced Friday.
Police Supt. David Brown didn’t detail any specific plans to address the gun violence that can flare up across the city during the boozy holiday, though he noted that “celebratory gunfire is illegal.”
Police spokesman Don Terry later insisted there will be “sufficient resources placed all over the city, especially places that have had troubles.”
Over the past three years, at least five people have been killed and 25 others have been shot over the 12-hour stretch between late New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day, according to police records.
Most of that violence happened far from the glitzy events and fireworks in and around the downtown area.
“Our officers will be doing everything they can to keep everyone safe,” Brown told reporters at police headquarters. “But we need our residents and visitors to do everything they can as well to celebrate responsibly.”
Some of the cops flooding the streets are having their days off canceled, while others are having their shifts extended or are being pulled from headquarters.
In August — amid growing concerns over officer wellness and a scathing report from the city’s inspector general — Brown announced a policy shift aimed at cutting back on the controversial practice of nixing days off.
But he reserved the right to do just that on certain holidays, including New Year’s Eve.
On Friday, Brown said the department has devised “a comprehensive security plan” for the fireworks at Navy Pier and has worked to expand its presence on the CTA, where crime remains a problem and where rides will be free from 10 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday.
The superintendent also warned against drunken driving and over-serving revelers.
Some officers will be posted downtown as others patrol the Magnificent Mile and State Street and focus on entertainment venues in River North and Motor Row, according to Deputy Chief Jill Stevens of the department’s Central Control Group.
Tactical teams, mounted units and bike cops will respond to Millennium Park and “any large gatherings” in the area, she said.
There will also be an increased police presence in other entertainment districts, like Fulton Market and at Clark and Halsted streets in the Town Hall police district, according to Area 3 Deputy Chief Gabriella Shemash.
“We’ve been working on safety and security plans with our hotels and our large liquor establishments,” Shemash said. “As always, we’re going to be keeping an eye on large gatherings and any impromptu parties that are gonna pop up.”
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2022. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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