Larry Snelling, Chicago’s new police chief, has pledged to revamp the department with a slate of new initiatives.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times,  Snelling plans to offer wellness opportunities, modernized training protocols, implement a new system for promotions, and establish better relationships with police and the community.

At a news conference on Monday (August 14), Snelling explained how he intends to increase the morale of the Chicago Police Department which is operating with almost 1,700 fewer officers than it did just four years ago.

“We need to make sure that we have the best-trained and the most well officers and well-taken-care-of officers when we put them out in the community because, when these officers feel good about themselves, they feel good about the department. ... In order for our officers to love someone else, we have to love them,” Snelling said at the news conference.

Snelling also spoke of the importance of mental health for Chicago officers who work large amounts of overtime and don’t take adequate days off because of the decrease of officers on the force.

“I talk to them and I hear it all the time. Sometimes, they just want to spend time with their family members. … We have to evaluate and reevaluate our officers’ mental health,” Snelling said. “We have to be cognizant of what we’re doing to these officers when we’re canceling days off. We have to give them notice when that happens.

“The things that are said to these officers now, the disrespect — that’s huge for our officers,” he added. “How do they get over that? We have to make sure that we’re providing them with everything that we can provide them with so that they’re well, and they can get over the hump of not being respected most times or seeing death. Our officers are resilient, but we have to give them more to continue to be resilient."

Mayor Brandon Johnson described Snelling as a “son of Englewood” whose skills to create trust between the police force and residents” puts him in a class by himself.”

“Whether you’re being raised in Englewood or Austin or Roseland or Lincoln Park, Morgan Park — wherever you are in the city of Chicago — Chief Snelling has a story that reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people of Chicago. He’s just a rare individual,” Johnson said.

“We’re committed to collaborating and listening to one another. There is a level of expertise that Chief Snelling brings to the forefront, and his expertise is valued,” Johnson added. “ And there are some dynamics within community safety that we have to be thoughtful about.”

Additionally, Snelling noted that every officer should consider themselves a “community-policing officer.” and promised to focus on the victims of violent crime.

“What I believe that we’ve forgotten everywhere are the victims of crime. The trauma that those victims deal with,” Snelling said. “We cannot forget about the victims. We have to have a focus on that.”

“And then our community. Our community members have to have a stake. We have to bring them to the table,” Snelling continued. “We have to talk to our community leaders. And we have to bring in those people that we don’t normally talk to. Those people who live on the side streets of every community.”