logo
Foundation's $15 million gift to train police supervisors to help reduce gun violence

Foundation's $15 million gift to train police supervisors to help reduce gun violence

Yahoo11-04-2025

Hoping to reduce gun violence in Chicago, the Sue Ling Gin Foundation announced a $15 million gift Friday to develop a leadership and management education program for police supervisors.
The gift, which will be made to the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, will fund the new five-year program, working with the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
Slated to launch in January 2026, all Chicago Police Department supervisors — from sergeants to the superintendent — will participate in mandatory leadership training to be better equipped to solve crimes, connect with the community and prevent gun violence, according to Roseanna Ander, founding executive director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
'Policing invests almost nothing in the human capital of people who go into policing,' Ander told the Tribune. 'This is a huge leap forward in changing that and puts Chicago at the forefront.'
The new program builds on the 40 hours of required annual training for all officers implemented through a 2019 consent decree in the wake of the 2014 police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The management education will focus on effective leadership, data-driven analytics, officer wellness and building community trust. The curriculum will involve a mix of scenario-based and hands-on training, as well as classroom study, Ander said.
'As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen safety and build trust across the city, we have to invest in the frontline supervisors who are managing day-to-day operations,' Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling said in a news release. 'We are deeply grateful to the Sue Ling Gin Foundation for its partnership and support in making this a reality.'
Like many large cities, Chicago saw a spike in crime during the pandemic, peaking at 804 homicides in 2021, mostly from gun violence. While the total declined to 573 last year, Chicago remained the city with the most homicides in the U.S., according to research from AH Datalytics, which tracks crime statistics.
Gun violence continues to be a major problem in Chicago, although statistics have been steadily improving in the post-pandemic landscape. There were 2,282 shootings in Chicago last year, down from 2,452 in 2023, according to CPD data. Gun violence is down 36% from 2021, when there were 3,554 shootings in the city.
Chicago entrepreneur Sue Ling Gin, who died more than a decade ago, has been posthumously fighting gun violence through her foundation in the city where she built her career.
The Aurora-born daughter of immigrants, Gin worked in her family's suburban Chinese restaurant growing up and later became a Playboy Bunny at the original Playboy Club in Chicago. In 1983, she launched Flying Food Group at Chicago's Midway Airport, building it into a network of 20 catering kitchens from Honolulu to New York, servicing more than 70 airlines. Gin also managed and developed an extensive Chicago-area real estate portfolio.
When she died in 2014 at age 73 after suffering a stroke, Gin left a sizable estate, which was used to fund her foundation.
In 2021, the foundation made its first major gift, a $21 million three-year donation to Chicago CRED, a nonprofit community intervention program that focuses on reducing gun violence in some of the city's most underserved neighborhoods.
The foundation's latest gift to fund police supervisor training will take a page from the business world where Gin proved so successful, according to Robert Hamada, former chairman of the Flying Food Group and the estate's trustee.
'Corporations do this kind of continuing education all the time, but government agencies are often unable to prioritize this kind of investment,' Hamada said in a news release.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gurnee-area man, who allegedly expressed a desire to kill someone, charged with shooting family member in face
Gurnee-area man, who allegedly expressed a desire to kill someone, charged with shooting family member in face

Chicago Tribune

timean hour ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Gurnee-area man, who allegedly expressed a desire to kill someone, charged with shooting family member in face

An 18-year-old Gurnee-area man, who reportedly had expressed a desire to kill someone, is in custody after he allegedly shot a family member in the face, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said. Authorities identified him as Francis Lodesky of the 34000 block of Illinois Route 21. Police said they were called to the residence at about 8:35 p.m. Wednesday after receiving reports that someone had been shot. Arriving officers found a 61-year-old man who is related to Lodesky with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to an area hospital and is expected to survive, police said. Police said the man was in his bedroom talking on the phone when Lodesky entered the room and shot him in the face with a .410-caliber revolver loaded with birdshot. Officers recovered the gun, along with 50 others at the residence. The firearms were removed and placed into evidence, police said. 'Based on information gathered thus far, the shooting appears to be unprovoked and Lodesky had the desire to kill someone,' the sheriff's office said in a media release. Lodesky was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.

Pics: 122 Chinese illegal immigrants deported by Trump admin
Pics: 122 Chinese illegal immigrants deported by Trump admin

American Military News

time5 hours ago

  • American Military News

Pics: 122 Chinese illegal immigrants deported by Trump admin

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently deported 122 Chinese illegal immigrants back to China as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration in the United States. In a Monday press release, ICE announced that it returned 122 Chinese illegal immigrants to China on June 3 as part of a Department of Homeland Security deportation effort. ICE confirmed that the deportation flight included 96 males and 26 females, ages 19 to 68. According to the press release, the Chinese illegal immigrants had 'final orders for removal' and were from various ICE detention facilities throughout the United States. Sharing pictures of the recent Chinese illegal immigrant deportations on X, formerly Twitter, ICE tweeted, 'We deported 122 illegal aliens to China on a special high-risk charter flight.' We deported 122 illegal aliens to China on a special high-risk charter flight. Convictions included: 🔗Murder 🔗Drug trafficking 🔗Rape 🔗Bribery 🔗Human smuggling Details: ☎️Report suspicious criminal behavior: 866-DHS-2-ICE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) June 12, 2025 In Monday's press release, ICE said that the Chinese illegal immigrants on the 'high-risk charter flight' included individuals who had been convicted of murder, human smuggling, rape, drug trafficking, and lewd or lascivious acts with a minor. As examples of the convicted Chinese illegal immigrants deported in ICE's recent operation, officials said a 47-year-old male was convicted of murder, a 55-year-old male was convicted of human smuggling, a 27-year-old male was convicted of rape, a 49-year-old male was convicted of drug trafficking, and a 50-year-old female was convicted of bribery. READ MORE: China targeting US military members for spy operations, fmr. CIA chief warns 'Through our interagency partnerships and coordination across ICE field offices, we have successfully removed these individuals, many who were convicted of egregious crimes,' ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson stated. Johnson added, 'This operation not only enhances the public safety of our communities across the U.S. but also strengthens national security. Our colleagues at ICE come to work every day to identify, arrest and remove illegal aliens who attempt to circumvent our nation's immigrations laws.' Earlier this month, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported that there was a 97% decrease in Chinese illegal immigrants arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents during the first three months of Trump's administration compared to the same three months under former President Joe Biden's administration last year. According to Melugin, while 8,837 Chinese nationals were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in February, March, and April last year, only 225 Chinese nationals were apprehended by Border Patrol agents during the same three months under Trump's administration. Melugin added that over 60,000 Chinese nationals were arrested by Border Patrol agents after illegally crossing the southern border under the Biden administration.

Edinburgh Council 'must learn lessons' from probe into handling of Cammy Day complaints
Edinburgh Council 'must learn lessons' from probe into handling of Cammy Day complaints

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Edinburgh Council 'must learn lessons' from probe into handling of Cammy Day complaints

Lessons 'must be learned' after the publication of a report spelling out the council's handling of sexual harassment allegations against former leader Cammy Day, according to city councillors. The report found that Edinburgh council needed to improve its safeguarding measures, and that a 'prevalent' culture of hospitality needed to be looked at by the council. But it found that council officers had acted appropriately in handling complaints made to them. READ MORE: British couple try Chinese takeaway in America and spot one big difference READ MORE: Edinburgh gang war continues in west as thugs torch taxi owned by dad of Mr Big's girlfriend It also said that people who had complained about the behaviour of the former council leader experienced a 'significant perceived power imbalance' when making complaints about him. Council leader Jane Meagher said the report was 'largely reassuring' – but that recommendations made in the report needed to be carried out 'swiftly and comprehensively'. Kevin Dunion, former chair of the Standards Commission for Scotland, carried out the third party investigation that resulted in the report, which itself was commissioned by the council. Mr Dunion's investigation came after recent and historic complaints about alleged sexual harassment by former Labour council leader Cammy Day came to light. Councillor Day resigned in December 2024 soon after the first allegations were published in the press, and he was suspended from the Labour Party soon after. Multiple Ukrainian refugees said Cllr Day had sent them unsolicited images and messages on social media, even after being asked to stop. In one historic incident, which took place in 2010 and was reported in 2018, a then 15-year-old boy said he was sexually harassed online by Cllr Day. Since his resignation, a police investigation into his behaviour has found no evidence of criminality, with the former leader claiming he is the target of a political witch hunt. SNP group leader, Councillor Simita Kumar, said: 'It is imperative that lessons must be learned. 'A common thread throughout this report is that staff and complainants felt unable – or unwilling – to raise concerns due to the power and influence of the accused. 'We must establish better systems to support and protect those who come forward or the risk of abuse by those in positions of authority will persist.' Mr Dunion's report found that leaks of information about alleged leaks by councillors had impeded the city's whistleblowing process. Councillor Ed Thornley, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: 'I want to thank Kevin Dunion for his report and the work that's gone into it. He's highlighted several issues with the way the Council's processes aren't working correctly and the gaps in them. 'It's clear reading the report that where Council officers have been aware and informed, they acted appropriately and gave sound advice in line with the agreed processes. That is not the case for councillors. 'The two leaks of confidential information by councillors seriously undermine the integrity of the systems in place, and call into question the judgement of the individuals responsible. 'Such leaks represent a deliberate and blatant breach of the Councillors' Code of Conduct. The Lib Dem group will consider Mr Dunion's recommendations thoroughly over the coming days.' Edinburgh Council's leader, Labour councillor Jane Meagher said: 'I want to thank Mr Dunion for leading this review, and for his report. 'While I'm largely reassured by Mr Dunion's findings about how recent complaints have been handled by officers, clearly, there are elements of this report which are of serious concern to us as elected members and we must act on his recommendations swiftly and comprehensively. I have already taken practical steps to begin to change the culture in the City Chambers. 'Our priority must be to nurture positive working relationships throughout the Council where colleagues feel able to speak up if something isn't right, they know and trust the channels open to them and they feel safe and supported in doing so. 'I'm fully committed to taking Mr Dunion's recommendations forward and, subject to approval by councillors next Thursday, look forward to agreeing concrete actions when officers bring a further report back in August outlining our proposed actions in response to Mr Dunion's recommendations.' Independent councillor Ross McKenzie, who was part of the Labour group until 2023, said: 'It's now up to the Labour Party to decide whether they are comfortable with Cammy Day being a Labour councillor. 'The report contains details of an extraordinarily serious allegation made in 2018 and a pattern of sexual harassment allegations since. 'If Labour are serious about safeguarding then they will have conducted an exhaustive investigation into all of these allegations.' Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill, Edinburgh Green group co-convenor said: 'This report makes grim reading, and lays bare the council's completely inadequate response to multiple serious allegations of inappropriate behaviour against the former council leader. "On behalf of the Green group, I want to apologise that the council has so badly let down alleged victims who have had the bravery to come forward. It is clear the council must address the recommendations in Mr Dunion's report and must make changes to council processes to ensure that alleged victims are never let down in this way again.' 'I want to thank Mr Dunion for the time and effort he has taken in preparing this detailed and comprehensive report. "It is essential the council takes the time to address these recommendations and improves processes to ensure that all complaints against a councillor are properly investigated in future. "The report makes clear there was a pattern of sexual harassment allegations which were not taken seriously or properly investigated. "The council needs to both improve its processes, and also change its culture, to ensure this pattern of behaviour is never allowed to continue unchecked in future.' The Dunion report will be considered by Edinburgh councillors at the next full council meeting on Thursday, 19 June, which can be viewed here. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store