CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Police Department plans to add 970 new positions over the next two years as it struggles to deal with a violent year full of killings and gun crimes.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Wednesday that the number includes 516 new officers, 92 field training officers, 200 detectives, 112 sergeants and 50 lieutenants. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is scheduled to announce the hires Wednesday afternoon.
The department currently has more than 12,000 officers, and hasn’t had a hiring push of this magnitude in years. The move is a departure from how Mayor Rahm Emanuel has handled staffing, resisting pressure to add ranks and instead paying overtime.
Overall, the city has recorded more than 500 homicides this year — higher than in all of 2015.
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(Photo Source: AP)
