Snelling, who led the department for nearly three years, had hoped to retire quietly. But officers gathered outside public safety headquarters to celebrate his departure, and a citywide "all call" on police scanners honored his service.
At City Hall, members of the city council reflected on his tenure and the impact of his leadership.
"It's a sad day in the city of Chicago," Ald. Jeanette Taylor said. "Superintendent Snelling pushed Chicago back in a place where we could be proud of policing, where we could actually work together, and he got it because he was from the community."
Snelling rose through the ranks after joining the department in 1992, eventually leading the Bureau of Counterterrorism before being selected as superintendent. During his time in the role, violent crime declined each year, and he oversaw the city's safety operations during the Democratic National Convention.
At a council meeting Tuesday, Ald. Chris Taliaferro, chair of the Police and Fire Committee, recognized Snelling's leadership. "When we look at it, 2025 alone, our city experienced some of the lowest crime rates since 1965, in several decades, and that's a tribute to his leadership and his dedication to this city," he said.
Ald. William Hall called Snelling "a great leader" and "a true role model," adding: "He modeled humility, empathy, compassion, and that's why the numbers are down because he led from his heart. He's used his hands to build neighborhoods and so we have a gap to fill. One in which again he set a standard that will never be repeated in the history of Chicago."
A nationwide search will be conducted to find Snelling's successor. Some aldermen expressed concern that next year's mayoral election - and the superintendent's role serving at the pleasure of the mayor - could affect the pool of interested candidates.
"The concern that we're not going to be able to attract quality candidates because they're not going to want to wade into a temporary situation fraught with politics, there's some truth to that," said Ald. Brian Hopkins. "We'll have to see who applies. It's still a desirable job, and I think we will get some good candidates."
The Chicago Police Department issued a statement Thursday, saying, "As Superintendent Larry Snelling retired on Wednesday, he swore in Interim Superintendent Fred Waller, who will lead our department through this transition. Interim Superintendent Waller steps back into this role with decades of experience within the Chicago Police Department."
Other business in City Council
The Chicago City Council voted Wednesday to provide $425 million in taxpayer money to support The 78.
The development will be built along the Chicago River and Roosevelt Road in the South Loop. Plans call for both residential and commercial properties.
The Chicago Fire soccer stadium is also part of the project, but it will be built with private funds.
In another item Wednesday, the Chicago City Council will restrict current and former city employees from taking part in restriction markets.
Members voted to ban employees from using private information to place bets on markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi, and they can't help anyone else in placing bets.