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Committee on Public Safety
Please see below for a summary of each meeting I have held since becoming Chairman.
July 2026
On Thursday, July 9, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting for a hearing to follow up on R2025-0019950. Lead sponsor Alderwoman Tabares and Chicago 77 presented the recommendations of the Chicago-Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force, established following committee approval at the November 2025 meeting.
Over the past six months, the task force conducted extensive research, collected and analyzed data, and performed a comprehensive review of the systems serving survivors of domestic violence. Their work identified specific, actionable reforms that can strengthen support for victims and help prevent future tragedies.
I am proud to have sponsored this important initiative and remain committed to holding hearings to advance this critical work.
Click here to read the resolution.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
June 2026
On May 12, I called a Committee on Public Safety meeting for a subject matter hearing to discuss R2026-0024955. On June 9, the committee reconvened and heard from the Chicago Department of Procurement Services, Chicago Office of Public Safety Administration (OPSA), and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to discuss the status and reasons for delays in the CPD's procurement of a new records management system and acoustic gunshot technology system.
During the hearing, I urged greater transparency and accountability from this administration and their efforts to withhold critical public safety technology. It has been two years since the City ended its contract with ShotSpotter, and residents deserve a gunshot protection system they were promised.
For more information on the hearing, you can click here to read an article from ABC7.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
May 2026
On May 12, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting for a subject matter hearing to discuss R2026-0024955– the status and reasons for delays in the CPD's procurement of a new records management system and acoustic gunshot technology system. Due to the lack of attendance by City departments, the hearing was recessed to reconvene in June.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
April 2026
On April 9, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting on various legislative matters—the item SO2025-0017561, sponsored by Ald. Mosely expanded the definition of trespassing and fines for intruding on private property was recommended for passage. The City Council passed the item on April 15.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
March 2026
On March 3, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting. Ald. Lopez’s item O2025-0015393– an amendment regarding animal cruelty and increasing fines for offenses– was recommended for passage. The City Council passed the item unanimously on March 18.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
February 2026
January 2026
On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to hear O2025-0021898: Amendment of Municipal Code Sections 8-16-021 and 8-16-022 regarding declaration of time-and-site curfew for mass gatherings and custody procedure. This item was recommended for passage in the committee. We then heard O2025-0021717: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 8-4-010 regarding social media cooperation for public safety. This item was not voted on and remains in Committee.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
On Tuesday, January 20, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to hear R2025-0019997: Condemnation of acts of violence, intimidation, or harassment targeting individuals on the basis of political or religious beliefs. This item was recommended for passage in the committee and adopted by the City Council on Wednesday, January 21. We then heard O2024-0019984: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 6-10 by modifying Sections 6-10-010 and 6-10-020 to include antisemitism as discrimination in the Chicago City Council declaration of general human rights. This item was recommended for passage in the committee and adopted by the City Council on Wednesday, January 21.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
November 2025
On November 10, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to discuss R2025-0019950: Call for creation of Chicago-Cook County Task Force to Reduce Violence Against Women. This item was unanimously recommended for passage in the committee and adopted by the City Council on Friday, November 14.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
September 2025
On September 3, 2025, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting to hear O2025-0018805: Assignment or reimbursement of Community Benefit Funds to The Magnificent Mile Association named as service provider for public safety improvements surrounding Casino location. This item was unanimously recommended for passage in the committee and adopted by the City Council on Thursday, September 25. I then held a Subject Matter Hearing on alternative response model for parking violations.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.
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
January 2025
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.
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.
On February 3, I held a Committee on Public Safety meeting regarding legislative items, including teen gatherings, youth safety, and noise-sensitive zones. We heard item O2026-0022493 to replace the term "churches" with "places of worship" in noise-sensitive zones, which the committee recommended for passage. This ordinance passed almost unanimously in the City Council on February 18.
I supported Ald. Conway’s item to ensure broader protections for religious practice and increase the quality of life for residents in the ward. Click here to read the ordinance.
Click here to view a summary and recording of the meeting.