Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling to retire

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling to retire

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling announced Wednesday that he'll retire July 15 after more than three decades with the department.

Why it matters: Snelling was Mayor Brandon Johnson's first pick to lead CPD and oversaw a drastic reduction in homicides during his tenure.

What they're saying: "Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to give back to the city I love through different assignments across the department," Snelling said in a release.

  • "I must also thank Mayor Brandon Johnson for choosing me to serve the residents of Chicago and to lead the heroic men and women of the Chicago Police Department."

    • Zoom in: Snelling, respected by many in the department's rank and file, embraced greater collaboration with outside violence prevention groups and the Mayor's Office of Community Safety.

  • After particularly brutal years under then-Superintendent David Brown, Chicago saw its homicide rate fall to historic lows under Snelling.
  • "As I reflect on the past three years, I also reflect on the most difficult moments we have had as a department and city," Snelling added. "Families in this city lost loved ones to violence, and too many officers were killed in the line of duty because of the same violence they worked to protect everyone from."

    • Flashback: Snelling counted his leadership during the 2024 Democratic National Convention as a win, as protests were mostly peaceful, with police largely avoiding violent clashes with demonstrators.

  • "If the 1968 convention went down in history as the example of police brutality, then the 2024 convention will go down as the example of constitutional policing," Johnson said after the DNC.

    • Between the lines: While Snelling seemed to have a positive working relationship with the mayor's office, there were some high-profile disagreements. Snelling reportedly pushed to keep ShotSpotter, even as Johnson opted not to renew the city's contract in 2024.

  • The mayor also drew criticism after the removal of some key staffers in community safety, including director Garien Gatewood.

    • Friction point: Critics said Snelling did not clearly explain officers' interactions with federal immigration agents during raids last fall.

  • City law forbids the police from helping federal immigration operations, but some protesters and activists said the police were unofficially supporting ICE agents.

    • Snelling grew up in Englewood and graduated from DePaul before joining CPD in 1992. He started on patrol in his childhood neighborhood.

  • Over 34 years, he was a sergeant, led physical skills and operations training at the Chicago Police Academy, and served as commander and deputy chief of Area 2, Johnson said in his statement about the retirement.

    • What's next: Fred Waller will serve as interim superintendent when Snelling leaves this month. Waller served in the same role after Brown left in 2023.

  • The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will vet candidates and send finalists to Johnson, who makes the final selection.