Gold Coast ✶ Streeterville ✶ Lincoln Park ✶ Old Town ✶ Clybourn Corridor ✶ River North
Committee on Public Safety
Please see below for a summary of each meeting I have held since becoming Chairman.
July 2025
On July 10, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on O2025-0018154: Amendment of Municipal Code creating new Section 8-4-078 regarding assault against public officials, the Chicago Police Department's 11th Independent Monitoring Report, and the re-referral of O2025-0018168: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-96-040 requiring Executive Director of Public Safety Administration to submit monthly reports of Freedom of Information Act requests and responses to Chair of Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights. The meeting was adjourned without action pursuant to Rule 2 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order.
​
Summary of the July 10, 2025, Committee on Public Safety Meeting
On July 15, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on O2025-0018154: Amendment of Municipal Code creating new Section 8-4-078 regarding assault against public officials and the recommendation of re-referral of O2025-0018168: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-96-040 requiring Executive Director of Public Safety Administration to submit monthly reports of Freedom of Information Act requests and responses to Chair of Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Both items were unanimously recommended for passage in the committee and were adopted by the City Council on July 16, 2025.
​
Summary of the July 15, 2025, Committee on Public Safety Meeting
​
On July 24, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to hear a presentation of the Chicago Police Department's 11th Independent Monitor Report, given by Allyson Clark-Henson, the Executive Director of the Chicago Police Department's Office of Constitutional Policing and Reform. We also heard O2025-0017561: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 8-4-050, expanding the definition of trespassing and establishing fines of $250 to $1,000 for any person convicted of trespassing, of which Committee Members voted to recommend passage.
​
Summary of the July 24, 2025, Committee on Public Safety Meeting
May 2025
On May 9, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on the Appointment of Francisco Velez as Executive Director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. The appointment passed unanimously in committee and was adopted by the City Council on May 21, 2025.
​
Summary of the May 9, 2025 Committee on Public Safety meeting
On May 20, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on the SO2025-0016732: Amendment of Municipal Code 8-16-021 and 8-16-022 regarding Declaration of Curfew for Mass Gatherings and Custody Procedure. The item passed in committee, was deferred and published by the City Council on May 21, 2025, and was adopted by the City Council on June 18, 2025. Since its passage, Mayor Johnson has filed a letter with Clerk Valencia expressing his intent to veto the ordinance at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council.
​
Summary of the May 20, 2025 Committee on Public Safety meeting
​​
On January 14, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on R2024-0014213, the Adoption of Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and associated City Annex for 2024-2029 planning cycle to maintain continued eligibility for FEMA mitigation grant assistance programs. The Resolution passed the committee unanimously, and was adopted by City Council on January 15, 2025.
Summary of the January 14, 2025 Committee on Public Safety meeting.
January 2025
October 2024
On October 1, 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on R2024-0010357, the examination and improvement of extreme weather response plans. Academic experts from the University of Illinois Chicago, local community groups, and Chicago residents with lived experience attended to speak on the matter. The Resolution passed committee unanimously, and was adopted by City Council on October 9, 2024.
​
Summary of the October 1, 2024 meeting.
​
​Additionally, on October 23, 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss R2024-0008960, call for hearing(s) on missing women in the City of Chicago. This matter passed committee unanimously.
​
September 2024
On September 9, 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss R2023-0002815, a resolution I wrote which calls for hearings on the Chicago Police Department’s use of technology in policing.
Summary of September 9, 2024 meeting.
On September 26, 2024, Chairman Taliaferro and I held a Joint Committee on Police and Fire & Public Safety. The first item on the agenda was the presentation of the Office of the Inspector General’s Annual Public Safety Report. The next item was the discussion of ShotSpotter technology.
Summary of the September 26, 2024 meeting.
On September 30, 2024, Chairman Villegas and I held a Joint Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development & Public Safety. This meeting was a subject matter hearing on technologies that can enhance public safety.
July 2024
In July of 2024, I held a meeting of the Committee on Public Safety to discuss both the Office of the Inspector General’s recent Mass Gatherings Report, and security measures for the upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC). The Inspector General, Deborah Witzburg, answered questions from Alderpeople on her report. Additionally, officials from Business Affairs and Consumer Protections (BACP), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Chicago Fire Department (CFD), Chicago Police Department (CPD), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Mayor’s Office of Community Engagement (MOCE), Mayor’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights, and Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) provided testimony and answered Aldermanic questions on DNC security measures.
​
June 2024
In June of 2024, I chaired a joint meeting of the Committees on Public Safety and Health and Human Relations to discuss the Chicago Commission on Human Relations’ Annual Hate Crimes and Hate Incidents Report.
​
Chicago Commission on Human relations 2024 Hate Crimes and Hate Incidents Report.
May 2024
On May 1 of 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss the Chicago Police Department’s Summer Preparedness Plan, featuring testimony from CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling, Chief of Patrol Jon Hein, and Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood.
​
Summary of the May 1, 2024 meeting.
On May 7 of 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting. The first item was SO2023-0004088, an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code of Chicago and designate a noise sensitive zone around Family Planning Associates, a downtown-area women's health clinic. Additionally, we heard SR2024-0007489, a resolution to call for hearings regarding the Chicago Police Department’s current system of tow operator contact in the case of damaged or disabled vehicles in the public way.
​
April 2024
In April of 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss the Democratic National Convention security footprint and the United States Federal Government funding for aerial support. Please see more information regarding aerial support on the helicopter information tab.
March 2024
In March of 2024, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to pass the Appointment of Jose Tirado to lead the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Please see below for a copy of the Appointment and a summary of the meeting.
December 2023
In December of 2023, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss the Chi vs. Hate Ordinance that I strongly supported. Please see below for a copy of the Ordinance and a summary of the meeting.
Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-120-518 establishing reporting and tracking procedures regarding hate incidents. Also known as the Chi vs. Hate Ordinance.
November 2023
In November of 2023, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting for various different legislative matters. Please see below for the legislation discussed and a summary of the meeting.
October 2023
In October of 2023, I held a joint committee meeting with the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. Please see below for the legislation passed and a summary of the meeting.
September 2023
In September of 2023, I held a joint committee meeting with the Committee on Police and Fire. Please see below for the legislation passed and a summary of the meeting.
Subject matter hearing on the Inspector General’s 2022 Annual Report.
July 2023
In July of 2023, I held my first meeting as Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety. Please see below for the legislation passed and a summary of the meeting.
Appointment of Annette Guzman as member and chair of the Emergency Telephone System Board.