Mark Hoplamazian, chief executive officer of Hyatt, and BMO’s Eric Smith will co-chair a public safety task force that aims to help the city halve its murder rate and reduce shootings by more than 40% over the next five years. The group was previously led by Crown, who died in a racetrack accident earlier this year.
Chicago has been struggling with a surge in crime that has alarmed residents and businesses. Crime rates are up 32% this year and 54% since 2019, according to police data, with a spike in burglaries and car thefts.Some prominent leaders have expressed growing concerns over the impact of crime on their operations.
Johnson told business leaders at the Economic Club of Chicago on Thursday night that improving public safety is constantly on his mind.