Jay T. Smith

Policing | Chicago News | WTTW WTTW News dives deep into why consent decree reform is so slow and how policing in Chicago continues to evolve.

Since 2019, the Chicago Police Department has operated under a consent decree.

WTTW News has spent the last few months diving deep into why reform is so slow and how policing in Chicago continues to evolve, and you can find it all here. 🧵🔽

Despite Illinois Sanctuary Laws, More Than a Dozen County Sheriffs Have Contracts to Hold People in ICE Custody To ascertain if county jails are complying with the state’s TRUST Act, WTTW News sent Freedom of Information Act requests to each of the 90 county jails in Illinois to obtain copies of intergovernment...

@wttw.bsky.social News inquired with every county with an ICE rider if they were aware of the agreement... Franklin, Henry, Mercer and Jackson county sheriffs said they would terminate the ICE rider...after being contacted by WTTW News. @blairpaddock.bsky.social
news.wttw.com/2025/10/22/d...

RIP Jane Goodall. www.instagram.com/reel/DPR6P0s...

WTTW News Explains: What’s the Story Behind Chicago’s Piping Plovers? Chicago’s lakefront is famously open and free. So why is a prime section of Montrose Beach roped off every summer? Because it’s for the birds. Literally. The piping plovers. WTTW News explains.

So you've probably heard of Chicago's #PipingPlovers. Have you wondered what all the fuss is about? @wttw.bsky.social News reporter @pjdubs.bsky.social has the story in our latest edition of WTTW News Explains news.wttw.com/2025/06/30/w...

How an Ex-Police Officer Fired for Sexual Misconduct Slipped Through CPS Background Checks to Work at Lane Tech Chicago Public Schools hired a former police officer who was on the city’s do-not-hire list after he was fired for inappropriate communication with a 17-year-old girl. Newly released records reveal he...

@wttw.bsky.social News reporting results in action. Check out this important story by our @jaredrutecki.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2025/06/18/h...

Illinois State Police Keeps Data on Suspected Gang Members. ICE Has Access According to agreements obtained by WTTW News, the Illinois State Police has shared data with ICE through its statewide computer system since 2008, including criminal history data and its gang member ...

Congratulations to @blairpaddock.bsky.social of our @wttw.bsky.social News team for this important exclusive: news.wttw.com/2025/06/02/i...

Very proud of @pjdubs.bsky.social @ncardos.bsky.social @brandisfriedman.bsky.social @wttw.bsky.social News for Lisagor Awards for Best Science/Technology Reporting & Best Reporting on Crime/Justice. And congrats to WTTW Digital, FIRSTHAND, Chicago Stories and Local Production teams for their awards!

Critics Accuse Richard Irvin’s Supporters of Underhanded Campaign Tactics in Aurora Mayoral Election As the Aurora mayoral election draws near, some say campaign tactics are getting extreme in the west suburb.

As always, @wttw.bsky.social News' @ndblumberg.bsky.social keeping an eye on Illinois' second largest city... news.wttw.com/2025/03/24/c...

Report Card Slams Budget Mismanagement, Safety Concerns at Fermilab as New Contractor Takes Over Fermilab received near-failing federal grades in its annual report card following a tumultuous year of budget mismanagement, safety concerns and leadership turnover. Whistleblower reports highlighted ...

Fermilab received near-failing federal grades in its annual report card following a tumultuous year of budget mismanagement, safety concerns and leadership turnover.

Whistleblower reports highlighted serious problems at the premier physics facility.

to.wttw.com/4bXec6D

Judge Orders Chicago to Speed Up Efforts to Make Crosswalks Accessible to Blind Pedestrians; Just 85 of 2,713 Intersections Upgraded The order comes after a 2023 ruling in federal court that Chicago’s long-running failure to protect blind pedestrians violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, following...

Great reporting from @ndblumberg.bsky.social for @wttw.bsky.social News news.wttw.com/2025/03/14/j...

WTTW News Explains: What’s the Story Behind Some of Chicago’s Famous Foods? Chicago is home to a plateful of iconic foods. But more than anything else, Chicago is known for its hot dogs and its pizza. WTTW News explains.

Hot Dogs and Pizza... explaining the unique Chicago spin on these iconic foods in the latest from our Emmy and Lisagor Award winning @wttw.bsky.social WTTW News Explains series. news.wttw.com/2025/03/10/w...

Happy 188th Birthday, Chicago. Here’s Some City History You Need to Know Tuesday marks the city’s 188th birthday. Here's a look back at some Chicago history you need to know.

Happy Birthday, Chicago, from your friends @wttw.bsky.social News! news.wttw.com/2025/03/04/h...

Are You a Federal Worker in Illinois? We Want to Hear From You. As the federal workforce is undergoing layoffs, buyouts and changing policies, WTTW News is looking to hear directly from those impacted. If you have a story to share, or you just want to pass along y...

Are you (or do you know) a federal worker with a story to tell? If so, let us know @wttw News news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/a...

Happy Monday. Sign up for our free newsletter, Daily Chicagoan. See why subscribers say: “I look forward to reading this every day. It has been so informative and it is just fun to read.” Get the backstory of important stories and connect you to your community. interactive.wttw.com/newsletter

On the Magnificent Mile, Belmont-Cragin small business Colores Mexicanos offers handmade artisan items from states all across Mexico through the end of December. (WTTW News)

What's a locally made product (book, food item, piece of clothing, etc.) that would make a great holiday gift?

Chicago Police Oversight Board President: I’ve Been Pulled Over 5 Times in 2024 by CPD Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability President Anthony Driver, Jr., said he had no doubt that he was stopped because he is a 6-foot-3-inch Black man who weighs more than 200 pound...

Another exclusive from @wttw.bsky.social WTTW News and @heathercherone.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2024/12/09/c...

‘America’s Test Kitchen’ Celebrates 25th Season With New Cookbook With more than 600 episodes and 2 million weekly viewers, “America’s Test Kitchen” has become a household staple. The show has been on public television since 2001 with the aim of putting home cooks a...

Check out the hosts of America's Test Kitchen tonight at 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (and anytime after 5:30 p.m. online) on @wttw.bsky.social News's Chicago Tonight news.wttw.com/2024/11/26/a...

Some are more active than others, but I made this WTTW News starter pack in case you’d like to follow my smart, talented co-workers on bsky.

Under Fire, Mayor Brandon Johnson Reverses Deep Cuts to Police Reform Push and Restores 162 Vacant Positions Mayor Brandon Johnson said he will ask the Chicago City Council to restore 162 now-vacant positions to the Chicago Police Department charged with implementing the court order known as the consent decr...

Following up on our reporting with @propublica.org and Vernal Coleman; @heathercherone.bsky.social reports for @wttw.bsky.social News:
Mayor Johnson reversing "deep cuts" to the number of employees implementing the police consent decree. news.wttw.com/2024/11/25/u...

In Five Years, Chicago Has Barely Made Progress on Its Court-Ordered Police Reforms. Here’s Why. Chicago police agreed to judicial oversight in 2019. Since then, a series of mayors and police chiefs let efforts languish and no one in a position of oversight has pushed forcefully to keep the proce...

I’m very proud of our latest collaboration with @propublica.org. Chicago police reform is at a tipping point. Please check out this important story from @heathercherone.bsky.social and Vernal Coleman with @jaredrutecki.bsky.social
@wttw.bsky.social

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