Chicago boosts police presence to tamp down July 4 violence
By: Don Babwin, The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Chicago’s police department is following a familiar playbook for the July 4 holiday by flooding the street with officers and arresting dozens of people on drugs and weapons charges in the hopes of keeping them locked up during what is typically one of the most violent weekends of the year.
On Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that more than 1,500 extra officers will hit the streets, parks and lakefront.
The department said uniformed and undercover officers will be assigned to the lakefront and Navy Pier during the annual fireworks show that’s expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people, and they’ll be working known crime hotspots in the city for the entire weekend.
