Looking back at DNC, ShotSpotter, as CPD Supt. Larry Snelling prepares to mark 1 year in job

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling is preparing to mark the one-year anniversary of being the city's top cop.

It was a year that frequently thrust him into the spotlight, most notably with the Democratic National Convention.

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ABC7 Chicago political reporter Craig Wall sat down for a one-on-one interview with the superintendent recently to take a look back at the busy last year and what's ahead.

Besides the mayor, there is perhaps no other job in Chicago that is more scrutinized than the superintendent of police.

By most accounts, Snelling has proven to be more than up to the task.

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But, he admits there's still more to be done to improve public safety.

"Obviously, we've got work to do. Success doesn't mean that we're going to stop, or that I'm spiking the football. What it means is that, you know, we're moving forward," Snelling said. "Successful for me was to see our officers perform in a fashion that made everybody proud."

He said that was showcased at, but not limited to, the Democratic National Convention, during which there were relatively few related arrests.

That's when he stepped into the international spotlight, leading his troops from the front.

"If I am going to expect our officers to make all of these sacrifices. I have to show them that the leadership team, we're also willing to make those same sacrifices, that we're all in this together," Snelling said.

He attributes the success to all the pre-DNC training, and deflected when it comes to taking personal credit.

"I just couldn't be more proud of the way our officers performed: No. 1. I couldn't be more proud of our leadership team. We had boots on the ground; they were out there, dug in, day in and day out, making sure that the city was safe," Snelling said.

As for the mayor canceling the ShotSpotter contract and taking away a tool Snelling wanted to keep, he's ready to move on.

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"What I have to focus on right now is making sure that our officers are out there providing the services that people in these communities need, to ensure that they're safe, and that's what I'm going to focus on right now. I'm not going to waste energy talking about things that I can't control," Snelling said.

He called his relationship with Mayor Brandon Johnson 'great.'

"The mayor allows me the autonomy to get the job done," Snelling said.

He said the biggest challenge this year was recognizing the issue with morale and manpower.

"Just focusing on getting the department back on track," Snelling said.

And while smash-and-grabs have spiked lately, murders are down 8% and shootings are down 5% during his first year. He credits those decreases to a focus on the most violent police beats.

"I believe we can (get a handle on those crimes). But, in order to do that, we can't continue to go down the same road. We have to have a different strategy," he said. "So, focusing on those areas where we know we have the most conflict, we know we have the most shootings, and the possibility of more shootings, being proactive, making sure that we have the right resources in those locations has helped us keep crime down."

His big concern remains violent crime.

And Snelling said that means continuing to build positive relations in communities across the city.

He said, until that happens, the department will, in his words, continue to spin its wheels a bit. But he's optimistic things will keep improving.

Snelling said, post-DNC, he has not fielded offers to leave for the private sector.

"Well, listen, I enjoy doing the job. I can't predict how long I would want to stay on, but what I do want to do is to see the Chicago Police Department thrive. I want to see a safer city of Chicago," he said.

Snelling said, when he was coming up through the ranks, he never dreamed of being superintendent. Now, he said he could see staying on for a couple more years.