Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Eddie Johnson and Chicago Department of Human Resources (DHR) Commissioner Soo Choi today announced that the City has invited 14,020 to take the next Police Entry Exam. This is the second exam of the year as CPD continues to work toward its goal of increasing the number of officers by nearly 1,000 officers by the end of next year that reflect the diversity of the residents of Chicago.

“I thank the applicants for stepping up and answering the call to not only serve and protect the diverse residents of Chicago, but to partner with communities to help them thrive,” said Mayor Emanuel. “It is my promise that as they continue on this path, we will support them with the resources they need to be successful in their service.”

The applicant pool underscores CPD’s commitment to achieving its hiring goals while also laying the groundwork for a more diverse department. The applicant pool self-identified as including 76 percent minorities, with 38 percent self-reporting as African Americans, 34 percent self-reporting as Hispanic, 2 percent self-reporting as Asian and 2 percent self-reporting as two or more races. The class is also 35 percent female. This reflects increased diversity compared to applicants invited to take the April Exam, who self-reported as being 73 percent minorities and 31 percent female.

“I am greatly encouraged by the success of our latest ‘Be the Change’ recruitment campaign which shows just how many people want to help us in our mission to build public trust and combat gun violence,” said CPD Superintendent Johnson. “These men and women will make our Department more closely reflect the diversity of our neighborhoods and will go a long way to make CPD better for everyone. I encourage those who have applied to take the test on December 16th.”

The Mayor’s proposed budget includes a $27 million investment in police reform and will support these future officers with enhanced training, dedicated reform management, strengthened officer wellness efforts and expanded community policing capacity. This includes consulting with subject matter experts to revise recruit and in-service training, adding 100 new Field Training Officers to the next generation of police officers get the best on-the-job training when they graduate from the Academy, and implementing a Learning Management System to expand training beyond the classroom.

"Thanks to the efforts of CPD and the success of the Be the Change campaign, we continue to see our goal of building a more diverse police department being met," DHR Commissioner Soo Choi said. "With every police entry exam, we get one step closer to having a police force that more accurately reflects the makeup of our city."

The results follow the City’s successful Be the Change recruitment campaign. The Brown Farmer Media Group (BFMG), a minority-and-woman owned business, was selected for the second time to support the recruitment effort. BFMG coordinated events, generated marketing opportunities and developed important community partnerships. This year’s efforts included sponsorships of the September Chicago Football Classic and UniverSoul Circus, as well as a partnership with WVON and radio, social media and billboard advertising. In addition, between now and the December Exam, the campaign will host test and fitness prep sessions.

The Police Entry Exam will take place on December 16th at McCormick Place. The new exam will put more qualified applicants into the recruit pipeline throughout 2018.

###