CBS News: Chicago summer safety program passes test with violent crime lower this Memorial Day weekend
Shardaa Gray & Marissa Perlman, CBS News
The City of Chicago's safety plan was put to the test this Memorial Day, and it appeared to be passing late in the day — as the Police Department prepared for large crowds.
Two dozen people were shot this weekend, about half the number from last year. Violent crimes are down as a whole compared to last year's Memorial Day weekend.
Year to date, the mayor's office said violent crime is down 24% compared to last year.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said violence is down in part due to violence intervention work, but warned federal funding cuts are looming.
"Our investments are clearly having some strong returns as violence continues to go down in the city of Chicago," Johnson said on Tuesday.
The cooler weather could have something to do with it, but one organization made sure young men stayed occupied and out of trouble.
"It's shown that if you give someone something to do that they're genuinely interested in, they're going to go do that," said Operation Basketball co-founder Tim Brennan.
Brennan and professional basketball player Lucas Williamson, along with other organizations, hosted a late-night basketball tournament at Malcolm X College on the city's West Side over the weekend.
A total of 62 young men between the ages of 18 and 24 participated in the game.
"It was a good environment," Williamson said. "You know, like, people that show up to these types of events, those are the types of people that you want to be around, you want to have community, you want to build with."
As we've seen in past years, Memorial Day weekend can turn violent. But this year was a little different.
CBS News Chicago's data team shows that last Memorial Day weekend, 41 people were shot, 12 fatally. This past weekend, 24 people were shot and four died.
"Our work is to continue to drive violence down in the city of Chicago — and we're doing that," Johnson said on Monday. "Violent crime is down. Doesn't mean that we still don't have a ways to go."
The weather this weekend was mild, but Mayor Johnson said he doesn't base his investments on the weather.
"We base our investments on building the quality of life for all residents," the mayor said. "Again, you know, violent crime continues to go down, and that's because we're making critical investments. You know, April, we've had the fewest homicides since 1962."
Brennan said every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at Ellis Park, at 3520 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in the Bronzeville neighborhood, his group hosts hoops therapy. It gives access to a licensed therapist.
The hoops therapy program starts June 14, after 1,000 Black and brown boys from Male Mentorships Program come together to march against violence.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently cut 365 federal public safety grants, totaling around $811 million.
City officials said local groups are now feeling these cuts, affecting a wide range of services, including programs for crime victims, local police departments, and correctional facilities.
The city's emergency operations center housed 15 different agencies over the weekend to coordinate safety planning for the Memorial Day holiday weekend and monitor the city's network of surveillance cameras.
The city said coordination calls to make safety plans will continue through Labor Day.
"The work that is happening to drive violence down has to continue. Regardless of federal cuts, we're going to continue to do our work here in the city of Chicago," Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood said.
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