Sam Charles – Page 9 –

Chicago Police Department recruits take the oath of office during a Chicago Police Department Graduation and Promotion Ceremony on July 22, 2025 at Navy Pier. The ceremony recognized graduates from three recruit classes as well as recently promoted captains, lieutenants, sergeants, detectives and field training officers. (Dominic Di Palermo/baiduhai)

Chicago police workforce study calls for hundreds of cops, civilians to be hired

February 11, 2026 at 4:16 p.m.

A long-awaited analysis of the Chicago Police Department’s staffing and deployment calls for the hiring of hundreds more officers while urging scores of other positions be shifted to civilians.

A still image from a video released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability shows a group of Chicago police officers surrounding a vehicle driven by Dexter Reed, 26, moments before an "exchange of gunfire" in which Reed was fatally shot on March 21, 2024, on the West Side. (Chicago Police Department)

Officers in Dexter Reed shooting largely cleared of wrongdoing, records show

February 11, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

The Chicago police officers involved in the March 2024 shooting of Dexter Reed were largely cleared of wrongdoing by investigators with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, city records show.

Andrea Kersten, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, attends a Chicago Police Board meeting at police headquarters Feb. 22, 2024. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Federal judge dismisses whistleblower lawsuit from former COPA investigator

February 4, 2026 at 3:42 p.m.

A federal judge has dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a veteran police misconduct investigator against the city and the former chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson holds a news conference at City Hall on Jan. 27, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Cook County state’s attorney’s office reviewing legality of mayor’s immigration executive order

February 2, 2026 at 7:06 p.m.

The Cook County state’s attorney’s office on Monday said “a thorough analysis is being conducted” to assess the legality of a mayoral executive order that directs Chicago police to investigate...

Civilian Office of Police Accountability interim Chief Administrator LaKenya White, left, listens as the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability votes to nominate her for the permanent position of COPA chief administrator during a meeting at Malcolm X College in Chicago on Jan. 29, 2026. Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling is on the right. (Nate Swanson/for the baiduhai)

Interim COPA chief nominated as permanent agency leader

January 30, 2026 at 3:24 p.m.

The city agency in charge of the Chicago Police Department’s oversight bodies announced Thursday that the interim leader of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability would be nominated to oversee...

Chicago police guard a crime scene in the 5700 block of South May Street in Chicago after thirteen people were shot on Dec. 22, 2019. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

One detective’s work demonstrates how CPD improved the homicide clearance rate

January 30, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Records obtained by the Tribune detail how one of CPD’s most effective homicide investigators recently closed a 5-year-old cold case, helping to raise the Police Department’s murder clearance rate to...

A Chicago officer stands with a police radio near Oak Street Beach on Aug. 18, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

CPD officer faces bribery, official misconduct charges after allegedly selling radio access

January 28, 2026 at 12:53 p.m.

A Chicago police officer is facing more than a dozen felony charges for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for allowing a civilian to use his encrypted CPD radio.

Despite cold, Chicago matches rare January mark with seven homicides in a single day

January 20, 2026 at 5:57 p.m.

Seven people were shot and killed across the city in less than 18 hours Sunday, marking just the fourth January day to see that figure since 1991.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg speaks with Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, left, and Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, after a committee meeting on April 16, 2025, at Chicago City Hall. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

New OIG data portal details misconduct patterns among CPD officers, units

January 15, 2026 at 5:26 p.m.

The Office of Inspector General now offers an interactive data portal that allows anyone to see which Chicago Police Department officers are connected to misconduct claims.

Chicago police Deputy Chief Traci Walker, of internal affairs, from left, Scott Spears, CPD’s chief legal counsel, and police Superintendent Larry Snelling attend a monthly Chicago Police Board meeting on Feb. 20, 2025. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

More civilian investigators coming to CPD internal affairs to tackle backlog

January 14, 2026 at 4:55 p.m.

Chicago police officials this week said more civilian investigators will join the department’s internal affairs bureau as the office works to finish investigations more quickly and decrease its backlog of...

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