Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling retiring in July, he announces
Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling announced Tuesday that he is retiring later this month.
CBS News Chicago learned that Snelling informed Mayor Johnson of his decision to retire earlier this month.
"After more than 30 years of service within the Chicago Police Department, I have made the difficult decision to retire on July 15, 2026. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to give back to the city I love through different assignments across the department," Snelling wrote in a statement. "I must also thank Mayor Brandon Johnson for choosing me to serve the residents of Chicago and to lead the heroic men and women of the Chicago Police Department."
Snelling was the CPD's 64th police superintendent, appointed by Mayor Johnson in August 2023 and sworn in the following month. Most recently before that, Snelling had served as chief of the CPD Bureau of Counterterrorism.
Snelling was at the helm of the CPD as Chicago saw its lowest violent crime rate in years, but while conceding there was still work to be done.
He outlined that work in a three-year plan released in 2025, focused on fostering community trust and taking care of rank-and-file officers' mental and physical wellbeing.
In a July 2025 interview, Snelling said while there remained a feeling among some in Chicago that crime is not down, "messaging is the key" to bridging the gap between perception and reality.
"If people don't feel safe, then in their minds they aren't safe. So we have to work on that perception to let people know that we're out there, we're out there to make sure that they're safe, and that we're working across the board, especially with them also to make sure that the city is safe," he said in the interview.
This summer, Snelling also took a stance on teen takeovers.
"You know, it's not parent-shaming to say that you should know where your children are at 10, 11, 12 o'clock at night, when you have a 12-year-old or a 13-year-old," he said. "They're vulnerable, you know, when they go into these environments; they can be harmed, and they can be killed, and that has happened."
When he was hired, Snelling explained his overall mission.
"I'll be totally honest. It's not a job that I always wanted," he said on Oct. 18, 2023. "But thinking about it later in my career, having the opportunity to help the city of Chicago, to help our communities, and help our officers – if I could bring back some sense of sanity to the city when it comes to the crime, and then, you know, just advocate for our victims, which is one of the things that we have seriously forgotten."
Sources with direct knowledge have frequently said that at times, Snelling found himself at odds with Mayor Johnson over communication strategy and other issues. This was before he told the mayor he would be leaving his post as superintendent.
Mayor Johnson issued a statement on Snelling's departure reading in part: "Superintendent Snelling has dedicated 34 years to serving the people of Chicago. We thank him for his unwavering commitment to the Chicago Police Department and wish him the best in his next chapter."
The Mayor's office said interim Supt. Fred Waller will return as the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability begins the search for a new superintendent. Waller also served as interim superintendent before Snelling's appointment.
Full statement from CPD Supt. Larry Snelling
To my fellow Chicagoans,
After more than 30 years of service within the Chicago Police Department, I have made the difficult decision to retire on July 15, 2026. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to give back to the city I love through different assignments across the department. I must also thank Mayor Brandon Johnson for choosing me to serve the residents of Chicago and to lead the heroic men and women of the Chicago Police Department.
During the past three years, I have had the privilege to lead this department through the 2024 Democratic National Convention and a record-low reduction in shootings, homicides and violent crime. While this happened during my tenure as Superintendent, the hard and courageous work of the members of the Chicago Police Department should be given the credit. Though I am proud of what we have achieved, there is more to be done, and I am confident that we created a foundation for further progress.
Our members risk their lives 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to keep the people of our city safe, and it has been my honor to witness this lifesaving work every single day of my career. We do not do this work alone. Thank you to our fellow Chicagoans, who also step up in our communities citywide to work alongside us as we strengthen safety in every neighborhood for our families and children.
I am closing out this chapter of my life with a heart full of gratitude for every Chicagoan and every community partner who embraced me during my time at the Chicago Police Department. Thank you does not fully express my appreciation for you, the people of Chicago. I ask that you continue to extend this same warmth and support to every member of the department. This can be a thankless job at times, and a simple thank you or act of kindness can mean everything to the men and women who give so much for our city.
As I reflect on the past three years, I also reflect on the most difficult moments we have had as a department and city. Families in this city lost loved ones to violence, and too many officers were killed in the line of duty because of the same violence they worked to protect everyone from. No matter what, I will always work to ensure the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and the strength and resilience of our Gold Star Families are never forgotten.
My t-shirt I wore as a new recruit is framed in my office and is a reminder of where I started. When I walked into the Police Academy at 22 years old, I wanted to protect those who needed help and make a difference in the lives around me. More than three decades later, I hope I did just that.
Larry Snelling
