Reshaping the Public Safety Discourse in Chicago
In the ever-evolving landscape of Chicago’s public safety discourse, the Chicago Neighborhood Policing Initiative (CNPI) wanted a seat at the table. After years of lip service from the previous administration, the Chicago Neighborhood Policing Initiative (CNPI) found itself grappling with a frustrating lack of support. To elevate CNPI’s profile and enable them to have a larger impact, Thinkinc. developed a strategic plan that would move them into the spotlight of the public safety conversation leading up to the recent Chicago mayoral election. With police-community relations emerging as the foremost concern for voters, this plan aimed to position CNPI as the center of the discourse to increase their influence and impact on the public safety conversation in Chicago.
Initially, we embarked on an extensive rebranding campaign including naming issues to ensure its local presence, redesign of its logo, and website, development of its social media, and a brochure with business cards. Initially, we also assisted with a power analysis around strategic alliances and relationships in various sectors as well as some initial media opportunities. This led up to Thinkinc. recommending and organizing a highly impactful event at the City Club of Chicago, focusing on community policing during the peak of the mayoral election. This event addressed the top concerns of the voters: public safety and police-community relations. It provided CNPI with a platform to actively engage and lead discussions, ensuring that their role and importance were widely recognized.
To further solidify CNPI’s position, assisted with a letter between CNPI and all nine mayoral candidates. This ensured that the candidates fully understood and appreciated the significant role CNPI plays in fostering positive police-community relations. Following the election and the inauguration of the new mayor and alderpeople, we organized a second City Club event specifically aimed at discussing the selection of the new Superintendent of Police. This event served as an important forum where CNPI played a central role in shaping the discussion around the selection of the new Superintendent of Police and providing valuable insights on the qualities necessary for effective police leadership. That same day, we organized a news conference at City Hall where community leaders and alderpeople presented and called on the new mayor to expand the CNPI program to all of Chicago and delivered a letter signed by 300 concerned citizens to Mayor Johnson’s office.
Our efforts resulted in substantial media coverage including three stories in the Chicago Sun Times including an op-ed authored by the former Chicago police chief Charles Beck, articles in Block Club Chicago, a column note in POLITICO Illinois Playbook, a story in The Daily Line as well as radio and television stories valued at nearly $100,000 in English and Spanish, positioning CNPI as a go-to resource for community policing expertise. This coverage further solidified CNPI’s credibility and showcased their increasing prominence in the field of community policing.
Through this strategic approach, CNPI was empowered to claim its place as a leading voice in reshaping the public safety discourse in Chicago. Together, we worked to foster meaningful change, advance police-community relations and build a safer and more inclusive city for all.
