CPD crime statistics show more than 500 shot in August; police say overall crime is down

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Police Department released their official August crime statistics Tuesday.

503 people were shot, 63 fatally in August 2020 compared to 268 shot, 49 fatally in August of 2019, CPD's report said.

However, police say overall crime figures in Chicago remain at a 20-year lows when looking at year-to-date figures.

Read the full report below:

Throughout the last month of summer, the Chicago Police Department saw a significant reduction in overall crime compared to the summer months before, including decreases in murders and shootings in some of Chicago's most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Following increased flexibility and focus in staffing from two new citywide teams and thanks to ongoing partnerships with street outreach organizations, community-based organizations and community leaders, the month of August saw a 45% decrease in murders compared to the previous month, and a 35% decrease compared to the month of June. In fact, this month saw the lowest number of murders since April. Additionally, the number of shooting victims has dropped by 22% this month compared to July and shooting incidents have declined by 15% compared to the previous month.

Designed to not only improve public safety throughout Chicago but also strengthen community partnerships, the Department's two new citywide teams - the Community Safety Team and the Critical Incident Response Team - have shown substantial positive results since their launch on July 23. In the five weeks since the creation of the two teams, murders have decreased by 51% compared to the previous five-week period.

"This has been an unprecedented year in policing, as coronavirus, civil unrest and violence have all converged in Chicago and in cities throughout the country," said Superintendent David Brown. "Thanks to not only the launch of our two citywide teams but also our ongoing partnerships with street outreach and community-based organizations, we have seen a substantial decrease in violent crime in August compared to the previous summer months. The Department will continue to build on this progress every day going forward by working hand-in-hand with our residents to keep our neighborhoods safe."

In addition to significant decreases in murders and shootings for the month of August, the City has seen overall crime decrease by 9% year-to-date. These declines were driven by double-digit reductions in criminal complaints for theft and criminal sexual assault. Additionally, burglary, robbery, theft and overall crime figures in Chicago remain at 20-year lows, looking at year-to-date figures.

Chicago police officers also continue to aggressively pursue violent offenders, including those carrying dangerous weapons. Officers recovered more than 6,900 guns through Aug. 31, including nearly 300 assault weapons.

Officers have also made more than 4,600 gun arrests. In fact, gun arrests are up 8% compared to the same year-to-date period in 2019.

RELATED: Murder down 50% following CPD reorganization, Supt. David Brown says

These weapon recoveries were conducted during a particularly dangerous time for Chicago Police officers. A total of 51 officers have been shot at so far this year compared to 15 officers shot at in both 2019 and 2018. Furthermore, 10 officers have been shot this year, compared to one officer shot each year in both 2019 and 2018.

AUGUST 2020 HIGHLIGHTS:

• The overall crime category, which includes murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated battery, burglary, theft and motor vehicle theft, fell by 9% year-to-date through Aug. 31, compared to the same year-to-date period in 2019.

• This same overall crime category is down 17% compared to 2018 and 25% compared to 2017, also according to year-to-date figures.

• Sixteen out of Chicago's 22 police districts are at 20-year lows for all index crimes, according to year-to-date figures. This includes the 1st (Central), 3rd (Grand Crossing), 4th (South Chicago), 6th (Gresham), 7th (Englewood), 8th (Chicago Lawn), 9th (Deering), 10th (Ogden), 12th (Near West), 14th (Shakespeare), 16th (Jefferson Park), 17th (Albany Park), 18th (Near North), 19th (Town Hall), 22nd (Morgan Park) and 25th (Grand Central) districts.

• Fifteen out of Chicago's 22 police districts are at 20-year lows in burglaries, according to year-to-date figures. This includes the 3rd (Grand Crossing), 4th (South Chicago), 7th (Englewood), 8th (Chicago Lawn), 9th (Deering), 10th (Ogden), 11th (Harrison), 12th (Near West), 14th (Shakespeare), 16th (Jefferson Park), 17th (Albany Park), 19th (Town Hall), 20th (Lincoln), 24th (Rogers Park) and 25th (Grand Central) districts.

• Looking at monthly figures for August, homicides are at 20-year lows in the 1st (Central), 14th (Shakespeare), 16th (Jefferson Park), 19th (Town Hall) and 20th (Lincoln) districts. These same monthly figures show a 10-year low in aggravated battery in the 16th (Jefferson Park) district and a five-year low in this same aggravated battery category in the 5th (Calumet) district.

CPD Builds on Youth-led Recruit Training with New Community Immersion Program for PPOs

On Aug. 26, the Department announced the expansion of a new community-immersion program designed to teach new police officers about the communities they serve. Launching this fall as part of the three-month field training for probationary police officers (PPOs), the new PPO Immersion Program will ensure new officers not only experience community policing first-hand but also enhance their community engagement skills at the earliest stages of training.

Fulfilling one of Mayor Lightfoot's 90-day reforms announced in early June, the new PPO Immersion Program expands on the efforts by the My Block, My Hood, My City's (M3) Explorer Program by ensuring new officers have the cultural competency and awareness of community-based assets to work more collaboratively in the neighborhoods where they serve. The new program represents the Department's community policing philosophy that moves away from incident-driven policing but rather towards a policing paradigm that is collaborative.

Neighborhood Policing Initiative Expands to 9th, 10th and 11th Districts

On Aug. 20, the Department announced the expansion of the Neighborhood Policing Initiative to the 9th (Deering), 10th (Ogden) and 11th (Harrison) District. As part of the expanded initiative, each district will roll out new District Coordination Officers (DCOs) this fall, who will work directly with community members to resolve public safety issues through collaboration and remedy neighborhood issues with the help of beat officers, detectives, aldermen, area businesses and sister agencies. To ensure DCOs are fully integrated in the neighborhoods they serve, the Department also launched a new community-immersion training program, completing one of Mayor Lightfoot's 90-day reforms announced in early June.

First piloted in the 25th (Grand Central) District in January 2019, the Department's Neighborhood Policing Initiative is designed to better connect police officers with the residents they serve through collaboration and partnership. While patrol officers have little time to create meaningful connections as they work from one radio assignment to another, the initiative trains officers to become DCOs, whose job instead focuses on building valued relationships with residents, which are proven to lead to better community tips on crimes and decrease the amount of 9-1-1 calls for service.

81 New Probationary Police Officers Hit The Streets

As part of this year's latest deployments, 81 probationary police officers (PPOs) were assigned to districts across the city on Aug. 24. These new officers have been paired with Field Training Officers (FTOs) for their first assignments. The FTOs help guide and mentor the PPOs during three months of field training.

Prior to receiving their assignments, these PPOs completed six months of training at the Chicago Police Training Academy. Here, they received instruction in procedural justice, implicit bias, mental health awareness, crisis intervention and de-escalation, use of force, building community trust and critical thinking.

Looting Task Force Holds Offenders Accountable

The Bureau of Detectives launched its Looting Task Force on Aug. 12 with a website connected to CPD's home page. Detectives have been combing through hours of video footage and photographs of the looting that took place on Aug. 10. Videos and photographs continue to be posted on the site. The Department remains thankful for the help it has received from viewers in identifying these suspects. A total of 26 felony arrests have been made since the Looting Task Force was formed. Tipsters are asked to continue to provide information by using the Tip Submit button on the website or by calling Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263.

Department Launches Consent Decree Priority Plan

On Aug. 10, the Department announced a plan that will streamline consent decree priorities on the Department's compliance efforts through the rest of 2020. To improve the alignment of the Department's reform priorities for the second half of 2020, CPD's new Consent Decree Priority Plan prioritizes outstanding projects and requirements mandated by the consent decree, as well as the City's plan for compliance.

Since the consent decree became effective in March 2019, CPD has made significant progress on a number of consent decree reforms, including an increase of in-service training and mental health support for officers, updated use of force policies that emphasize sanctity of life, de-escalation and officer safety, and an updated approach toward community engagement. In addition to these new tools to promote public inclusion for reforms outlined by the consent decree, the City of Chicago has also launched a new website on the City's Chicago.gov website to provide residents and other stakeholders concerned about public safety and police reform with easy-to access information about progress being made on transformational change initiatives.

First Gun Turn-In Since the Start of COVID-19

The Office of Community Policing hosted its first Gun Turn-In event since coronavirus led to a statewide lockdown on Aug. 8. The event at Hope Community Church in the 15th (Austin) District took in 164 guns and 26 replica guns. All of these guns were handed in with a no-questions-asked policy, allowing for a safe space to dispose of a weapon. Those turning guns received a $100 Prepaid Visa Card. Those turning in BB, replica or air guns were given a $10 Prepaid Visa card. Guns can always be turned into any Chicago Police station, or by calling 911 to set up a turn in.

CPD Adds First-ever Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance Officer

The Chicago Police Department announced Aug. 7 Deborah Pascua as the Department's first-ever Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Officer, who will help ensure meaningful access to CPD programs, services and activities for individuals with disabilities. Pascua, a retired 27-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department who has worked with CPD on ADA issues since 1994, brings a breadth of experience to the role as a former Equal Employment Opportunity Officer and 1st Amendment auditor. Pascua will work with the CPD Training Division and other units to provide a comprehensive multidimensional ADA compliance plan and training component necessary for achieving compliance with the mandates of the consent decree.

SHOOTING INCIDENTS 1 JAN - 31 AUG 20

2017: 1952

2018: 1621

2019: 1424

2020: 2168

SHOOTING VICTIMS 1 JAN - 31 AUG 20

2017: 2363

2018: 1955

2019: 1748

2020: 2719

MURDERS 1 JAN - 31 AUG 20

2017: 463

2018: 386

2019: 339

2020: 506

SHOOTING INCIDENTS - AUG 2020

2017: 265

2018: 261

2019: 214

2020: 387

SHOOTING VICTIMS - AUG 2020

2017: 327

2018: 338

2019: 268

2020: 503

MURDERS - AUG 2020

2017: 53

2018: 59

2019: 49

2020: 63