Chicago police training ramps up ahead of Democratic convention – NBC Chicago

About two months before the Democratic National Convention in August, Chicago police are stepping up training efforts to ensure the safety of party-goers.

On Thursday, hundreds of police officers donned helmets, face shields and body armor for a hands-on training session at McCormick Place. Chicago Police Commissioner Larry Snelling said it was equally important for officers to respect the First Amendment rights of protesters while protecting public safety interests during the convention.

“We will always, always protect those who exercise their First Amendment rights,” Snelling told reporters who were invited to watch the meeting. “It’s important to understand that we have a city to protect, we have lives to protect. Our number one priority is the sanctity of human life.”

Officers practice using riot shields, bike patrol tactics and working with ambulances to extricate injured people from crowds. The training also teaches them how to handle situations that require multiple arrests, such as those possible at a high-profile event like the DNC.

Captain Jake Alderden said the department has made changes to its mass arrest policy in the wake of the George Floyd protests. He said at least one supervisor will be assigned to each vehicle used to transport arrestees and there will be clearer rules for determining suspicion.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, who has criticized police preparedness for the DNC, said it was important to open up the training process as the department did on Thursday.

“Some of the areas of potential confusion identified in our report were addressed in this training and clarified after the department read our report,” she said.

Every Chicago police officer will wear a name tag, a clearly visible badge with a star number and a body camera when they are assigned to the DNC. Captain Alderden said many see this as a way to protect the protesters and themselves.

“I think if you surveyed all the officers here and said whether or not they wanted a body camera, I think the general majority would say yes, I want a camera, I want a camera that works and I want it to be there all the time,” he said.

The Democratic Party Convention will take place from August 19 to 22 at the United Center and McCormick Place in Chicago.