Interview with Ald. Chris Taliaferro
The Police Can’t Reduce Gun Violence by Themselves
As a former police officer and current chair of the Public Safety Committee of the City Council, Alderperson Chris Taliaferro of the 29th Ward has a lot to say about gun violence, ways to try to reduce it, and the need for both reform and greater support for the police. Ald. Taliaferro shared some of his views in the interview conducted by League member Judi Schindler, which premiered on Thursday, January 20. Watch the full interview.
Highlights include:
Ald. Taliaferro stressed that we can’t look to the police alone to solve the problem of gun violence. The city also needs to provide resources for the underserved. He is pleased that the 2022 city budget includes more funding for anti-violence outreach, but he would like to see even more—especially for the smaller efforts that literally involve interventionists standing on street corners and block clubs. He also touts some of the longer-term programs like the City’s Invest South/West program, which marshals public and private investments in communities on the south and west sides.
Ald. Taliaferro also identified the need to provide more mental health support for the police, pointing out that the Chicago Police Department has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. He looks to Los Angeles as a model, where the department has psychologists in every district who get to know the officers before crises occur. Here in Chicago, a step in the right direction has been taken with the 2022 budget allocating money to hire clinicians in each police area.
He is supportive of digitizing all the City Council’s work so that the full text of all proposed ordinances and resolutions can be easily shared prior to being introduced at a Council meeting. He would also like to see the rule for direct introduction of agenda items changed so that there is at least 72 hours prior notice.
The 29th Ward is on the far west side, with Oak Park and Elmwood Park as its western borders.