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CHICAGO (WLS) — On Thursday evening, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability convened for a pivotal meeting on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
As the session concluded, Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling faced a wave of impassioned voices from the crowd, with community members standing and vocally expressing their frustrations and demands for more action.
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The meeting, held in Brighton Park, saw tensions run high as Superintendent Snelling addressed pressing questions concerning the alleged cooperation between the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and federal immigration enforcement agencies.
“Our officers were there to prevent violence,” Snelling stated, defending the actions of the CPD.
During the public comment segment, a select few community members were given the opportunity to share their perspectives and concerns directly.
“The community is aware of the collaboration between CPD and ICE,” one attendee remarked. “We’ve witnessed it firsthand within our neighborhoods.”
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“It’s really clear that under Superintendent Snelling, if you wear a badge you can commit whatever crime you want to in Chicago,” a person said.
“Where is the investigation? Where is the accountability?” another person said.
As Superintendent Snelling addressed commissioners and the dozens in attendance, he was faced with several interruptions from the crowd.
“I believe that sometimes, when people are looking for answers they point fingers,” Snelling said. “I don’t know, but I can tell you if we’re going to have a conversation around things like this it has to be with people walking in with an open mind. If you don’t have an open mind, then we know your mind is made up. And we’re never going to have a respectful discourse so that we can get to the bottom of what it is you’re trying to understand.”
The crowd there Thursday night was clearly not satisfied with the answers they were provided, leaving with louder calls for accountability.
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