Aldermen plan special City Council meeting Wednesday to grill police, parks, schools leadership about summer safety plans

CHICAGO (CBS) — Aldermen have organized a special City Council meeting for Wednesday afternoon, to call upon leaders of the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Public Schools to outline plans for keeping the city safe this summer.

A group of 30 aldermen, including Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th), who is running against Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the 2023 mayoral election, called for the meeting for 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

“We understand the fears, concerns and demands for sustainable solutions addressing the violence and criminality that is increasing exponentially throughout our diverse communities. It is our hope that this public forum, in the absence of customary hearings, will address the people’s concerns,” aldermen wrote in their letter calling for Wednesday’s special meeting.

According to the notice, the meeting is meant to receive updates from Chicago Police Supt. David Brown regarding police “efforts to tamper the soaring violence impacting all Chicago communities this summer.”

Aldermen also want to hear from Chicago Park District general superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareno regarding the park districts “efforts to include and make available all programs for Chicago’s youth throughout all seventy-seven communities this summer.”

They also want to question Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez about the school district’s “efforts that create safe neighborhood epicenters throughout Chicago.”

Aldermen held a similar special City Council meeting last July, when they spent several hours grilling Brown about crime, and how he planned to tackle the ongoing violence in the city last summer.

Lopez, who led the effort to organize Wednesday’s special City Council meeting, has said he would fire Brown if he were elected mayor, and has repeatedly blasted Brown and Mayor Lori Lightfoot for their handling of public safety.

Representatives for Lightfoot, Brown, Escareno, and Martinez did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the special City Council meeting.