>> Since his appointment in April, Chicago, deputy mayor for community safety Emanuel, Andre, has faced a number of challenges from how to handle teen takeovers and rising domestic violence cases.

2 aggressive federal immigration enforcement and rising political tensions.

Andrea is tasked with overseeing the city's public safety agenda at a time when overall crime is on the decline.

But while critics of Mayor Brandon Johnson are questioning his administration's approach, joining us now is Emmanuel Andrea Chicago deputy mayor for community safety.

Thank you for joining us.

Thanks congrats on the new position.

you've been on the job for a couple of months now stepping in after the abrupt firing of your predecessor, Jerry and Kate Wood.

Why were you interested in this role?

>> You know, when I thought about this role and when I think about the importance of this role, importance of keeping the city safe and what I might be able to bring.

So that ecosystem to safety in many ways.

But I thought this role is just too important.

You know, I'm a parent.

I have kids and my kids all the time.

Talk about what it means to be able to navigate the city.

And at the end of the day, I want to be a part of making the city safer and continuing some of the progress of some of the successes we've seen.

So it was a surge in COVID and I thought it was too important.

Passal.

>> So starting with crime, of course, even though Chicago ended last year with its lowest homicide total in 60 years, there they are still up 7.5% so far this year.

What would you say is behind that increase?

>> Yeah, thank you.

And and that's it.

And I think in many ways, you know, seeing those homicide numbers go down in many ways is a success.

But at no point in time, do we wish are we celebrating necessarily?

Do we wish to be able to say, hey, look for those specially who've been directly impacted by those losses and how that lingers on.

So we realize we realize some of the real challenges, you know, some of the things that we especially right now being that it is the middle of the summer, how these numbers continue fluctuate.

What I think stands out is the consistency.

In terms of that, we are seeing that there is a steady decline, although we do see some increase in the homicide numbers and some increasing amount of students.

But when you look at some of the rest of the data, especially around violent crimes at how that continues, lead the clients that are around carjackings around robberies.

All of that is very, very consistent.

Now.

Again, we're not happy with things but we are encouraged that, you know, the overall strategy is working in.

This is something that 6, several years to continue one.

But but what will focused and making things better.

So that's 7 and a half percent increase this.

It also comes at a time when homicides in New York are down.

21 1% so far this year in down 10% LA you they start much lower points.

Then Chicago does as well.

What would you say is behind that sort big city disparity?

Yeah, I think some of even when you look at that 7, half a cent increase.

So if you >> look at the map of the city, you know where with 77 communities but very desperate.

A lot of ways.

So we have seen a spike in certain neighborhoods in which trying to focus in on those neighborhoods that we've seen that spike But if you look at the overall city, homicide numbers are down and u-verse over our city.

But there has been a spike and if use in a few neighborhoods that we can see work going to be able to help turn that tide.

So we're we're really lucky about sort of the amount of people we have working on this to be able to make this holistic effort to be able to turn that.

I do.

You see anything different that those cities are doing versus what Chicago is doing?

>> I think we have a lot of similarities to be honest with you.

All those cargoes is a different infrastructure in some ways.

We do have a lot of similarities in terms of what we're seeing.

So in terms of the continued downward trend.

We started with that with more any other cities.

But we do have more summer.

I I think the difference is at this point.

So you have a background of restorative justice before joining city government.

You founded circles and Ciphers which uses hip-hop and restorative justice practices.

>> To engage young people.

Of course, we also know that you came from the Cook County Public Defender's office as well.

How would you say that work in research justice shapes your approach to community safety?

Yeah, I think many ways is it helps inform So my approach is one.

even when we look at this summer, right, what does it look like?

Safety to be able to actively to find safety?

>> Safety as being about the long and not just absence of violence, but about long and restorative practices, I think is an approach that only Zacks.

What is it that we want for our own child if they were caught in the middle of something, how how should that guide?

So also philosophy of how do we want things to be and how do we want to be in right relationship with each other and importance of relationship no and what importance of words like healing means.

What does it mean to be able to Hilton situation so we can continue to see the long term aphex of when we have healing versus versus very now approaches to safety.

And I think some of that always framed just sort of the vision and the work because of my work because of my background, I've been able to work with victims and survivors.

In addition to 2 people have been accused in that frame to sort of the way I approach things to be able to say, look, at the end of the day, we want to be a better community to whatever crisis happens, what's needed to be able to tap that and forward.

So that philosophy it helps a lot.

>> So so called teen takeovers, these are, of course, the unauthorized mass gatherings of young people.

They sometimes turn into dangerous situations.

They become more commonplace in Chicago.

We know that CPD has been responding to quite a few of them, but all also other cities are experiencing this too.

What tactics do you think the city should be deploying to quell this issue?

Yeah, I think the city should continue to do some of the stuff that we know that's working.

Right.

So this idea of.

>> even this idea for a right, there's those.

But a push back team gatherings to take over is runs team trends.

And then you might even have some people use words.

I agree with white mobs and things like that.

I think it says a lot, but I do think what's being asked is this idea of again, but along with that, that young people to go can go to be able to feel like they can gather in a safe manner.

That's what we care about.

Making sure it happened safely.

So this is not necessarily a new phenomenon, right?

young people have been gathering for for years for decades.

I would argue now we do have some new points of phenomenon, right?

We didn't have social media in the way and we're not coming off of historic a bit like COVID in the way that we are now.

So that is some of the changes that's needed in terms of how do actively utilized now to be able to have that impact?

How do we continue increase to sort of spaces for young people to go to, to be able to be in community with each other couple of months back.

The mayor's office hosted big gathering over at Navy Pier that saw over 1500 young people.

How do we continue offer that even this weekend as I speak, there's going to be around.

31 activations that was supporting in some way that we're we'll hope for is going to be able to gaze well over 40,000 people throughout the city.

So we're excited about being able to be proactive in a way to be able to help inform specially the gatherings that we We're particularly concerned about those that for whatever reason turned violent or anything like that.

So when is it is so we're doing that in addition know all people in my team, we twice-weekly just around this issue, working city government partners all across the spectrum to be able to make make an impact on this issue.

So the city ended its contract with Shotspotter back in 2024.

And the mayor's convinced based on a variety of studies, including ones that we have covered here.

>> That the gunshot detection systems do not work, that it does not make Chicagoans safer.

But a majority of the city council, remain convinced that such a system is necessary heading London advocating that issue.

Yeah, I think, you know, my understanding the mass killings of about Shotspotter, my understanding, you know, this is still open right now and is open.

>> There's an open Kermit that's happening right now in real time.

So I do think that the man still remains aligned with wanting to have making sure that we have great technology that works is going to help for the informed public safety.

But so that's where we're at right now.

And that's what we're excited about.

Being able to get get to that space.

But as it pertains to specifically Shotspotter, I think there's been tons of research around that.

It turns around issues associated with that.

So the man very clear on his position, technologies that you think Chicago could be investing in for stronger community safety.

>> Yeah, absolutely.

I do think that we have seen an evolution of where we're at in terms of technology, but I think what's being axed right now is how do we properly evaluate those technologies, right?

Chicago should not be the the guinea pig for a foretaste technologies, the the testing ground.

So can we put together an infrastructure that be able to properly evaluate technologies to make sure that Chicagoans are getting the absolute best.

So I think that's one thing that's absolutely needed.

So we definitely not saying no to technology and not at all.

If anything, we want to make sure it's effective efficient to be able to move public safety forward.

And of course, Chicago's frequently found itself in conflict with the Trump administration over immigration, local governments.

>> What concerns you have about federal intervention in local public safety matters.

continue to have some of those same concerns about brought federal overreach to be very frank with you.

And we've seen what happened a couple of months ago.

We've seen how that's impacted Chicago as a community as Chicago continues to stand tall in his position impact that we've had about that so around that.

So we continue to stand, though, and with with the community around that.

But absolutely are concerned about broad federal when it comes issues about 15 seconds left.

At the end of your, you know, maybe first year, what would you say success looks like for you.

They had in its first Success would be increasing belonging within the city.

Right?

This idea that we have 77 communities but one city can we have metrics that we can look at the end of the year that goes beyond just how many shootings happened to able to say, hey, we're safer city.

Well, we'll see before the before that year is up.

I'm sure new deputy mayor for Community Safety Manual.

Andrea, thank Thank you.

Thank you.

talk about.

>> Up next, meet the newest candidate running for mayor of Chicago.