Exclusive Details: Chicago Police Will Deploy 1,500 Additional Officers For July Fourth Weekend
CHICAGO (CBS) -- CBS 2 has learned 1,500 additional police officers will be patrolling the city this holiday weekend. Many will be undercover as they patrol along the lakefront. Officers will also be at large West Side gatherings.
The extra deployment comes after this past weekend, when four people were killed and 50 wounded by gunfire. In 2016, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson ordered a review of police deployments after a deadly holiday weekend that year. In 2017, 101 people were shot over the holiday.
Over Memorial Day in 2018, beaches were trashed by large crowds.
A deputy chief will be responsible for all city operations from noon until midnight. The holiday weekend is being overseen by the Chicago Police Department as a large special event.
Police will continuously monitor social media with the goal of addressing issues before they become problems, such as the large groups of young people that have been converging on the downtown area creating chaos.
Chicago Police sources say no officers are taking days off from July 1 through July 7 during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Among those impacted are the tactical and saturation teams. The Office of the First Deputy Superintendent has mandated all police staff at headquarters and all officers at districts take part. The deployment even includes staff at the Chicago Police Academy.
On the South Side, officers are being assigned to patrol 31st Street Beach, Oakwood Beach, 57th Street Beach, 63rd Street Beach and Rainbow Beach. Lakefront patrols will also include 12th Street Beach.
Downtown officers will patrol North Avenue Beach, Oak Street Beach and Ohio Street Beach. There will also be a significant police presence at Navy Pier and more patrols at Buckingham Fountain.
On the North Side officers will be at Montrose Beach and Foster Beach.
Police will patrol to make sure there are no ordinance violations. Patrols will take place at all locations until the beaches close at 11 p.m.
