January 31, 2024

Larry Snelling

Superintendent / Chicago Police Department

Larry Snelling addressed The Economic Club of Chicago on January 31 in front of a live audience. The conversation was moderated by Chicago Sun Times Assistant Criminal Justice Editor, Tom Schuba. Topics ranged from police officer wellness, investing in communities and the youth, preparing the city for this summer’s Democratic National Convention and more.

I want to do it the right way, if we keep doing things the same way we’ve done them in the past, expect the same things to continue to happen.

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Superintendent Snelling on appointing his team and creating change in Chicago.

Speaker

Larry Snelling

Superintendent / Chicago Police Department

Larry Snelling was sworn in as the 64th Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department in September 2023. Having been raised in Chicago, coupled with his three decades of experience within CPD, Superintendent Snelling has a strong knowledge of the city and its public safety needs. As Superintendent, his priorities focus on building community trust and strengthening wellness for all CPD members so they can best serve the people of Chicago. Throughout his career at CPD, he served in multiple areas. Prior to being appointed Superintendent, he was the Chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism. As Chief, he oversaw long-term gangs and narcotics investigations targeting those driving violence in Chicago’s neighborhoods. He was also responsible for specialized units that include SWAT, the Marine Unit, the Mounted Unit and the Bomb Squad. Before heading the Bureau of Counterterrorism, Superintendent Snelling served in the Bureau of Patrol as the Deputy Chief of Area 2. Before this, he served as Commander of the 7th (Englewood) District, where he was also a Watch Operations Lieutenant. Throughout his time in Area 2, Superintendent Snelling worked to build strong relationships and partnerships within the community. Superintendent Snelling also spent a large portion of his career in the Training & Support Group preparing police recruits as they began their careers at CPD. He was a Sergeant in the Physical Skills Section and also the Operations Section Sergeant for recruit training at the Police Academy. As an expert on the Department’s use of force policies, Superintendent Snelling redesigned the Department’s current force training model around national best practices and constitutional policing. He has also testified as an expert in federal use of force cases. Additionally, Superintendent Snelling was a lead trainer for field force training for the 2012 Chicago NATO Summit. Superintendent Snelling holds a bachelor’s degree in adult education from DePaul University.

Moderator

Tom Schuba

Assistant Criminal Justice Editor / Chicago Sun Times

Tom Schuba is a reporter and editor focused on criminal justice issues, and he previously covered the legalization of marijuana across Illinois. He has earned a National Headliner Award for a series of stories investigating the state’s troubled cannabis testing regulations, among other prizes for his reporting. An Evanston native and longtime Chicago resident, Tom began his tenure with the Sun-Times as an overnight crime reporter after serving as an investigative intern and political blogger at NBC Chicago.

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