The Chicago Police Department’s Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) is the first in CPD history and the Department’s most comprehensive strategy that focuses specifically on racial equity. This plan was born out of the City of Chicago’s municipal code (2-4-100) and was guided by a framework and training provided by the City of Chicago’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ).

It is the goal of CPD’s REAP to ensure that its policing strategies and practices are developed and implemented by being mindful of their impacts on race and equity within Chicago and that they promote more equitable and inclusive practices and relationships within CPD and communities in Chicago.

Priority Areas

The REAP highlights three major priority areas, each including a series of strategies and initiatives that CPD intends to advance during the duration of the REAP:

Priority Area 1: Community Engagement

CPD’s REAP aims to enhance community engagement through increased partnerships with community-based services and resources. Recognizing the diverse needs of the community, CPD plans to identify and collaborate with organizations to provide better support. Strategies include creating a community resource dashboard for officers, improving communication between police districts and residents, establishing safe spaces for youth interactions, and fostering ongoing collaboration with the community on policy reforms.

Priority Area 2: Workforce

In addressing workforce diversity, the REAP focuses on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce that mirrors the demographics of Chicago. Strategies involve targeted recruitment efforts, understanding barriers to joining or staying with CPD, and assessing hiring processes for equity. Training initiatives aim to incorporate racial equity principles, impartial policing, and community building into annual and recruit training, ensuring that members are well-equipped to serve the community fairly and without bias. Officer wellness, inclusivity, and accountability measures are also prioritized.

Priority 3: Public Safety

To enhance public safety, the REAP emphasizes increasing collaboration with the community to develop community safety strategies, acknowledging the need for community involvement in addressing crime and violence. This involves partnerships with the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety and violence intervention organizations. Efforts to sustainably reduce violence include data-driven strategies, equitable solutions to gun violence, expanded victim services, and the incorporation of restorative justice practices. CPD commits to evaluating