Chicago Murder-Free, Shooting-Free For First 24-Hour Period In A Nearly Year

City Celebrates 24 Hours Without A Murder

Chicago's crime rate can sometimes earn the city a bad rap, but for 24 hours Wednesday the city was murder- and shooting-free.

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy announced the accomplishment Thursday in a statement that praised recent changes in the Chicago Police force.

"The last time we went a day without a murder or shooting was nearly a year ago in early 2011," McCarthy said in a statement. "This is clearly the result of the tremendous police work of the men and women of the Chicago Police Department."

McCarthy credited Mayor Rahm Emanuel's police redeployments, which included placing 114 officers on new beats. The move was slammed by some as a "smoke and mirrors" maneuver to distract from the dwindling police force as retiring officers weren't replaced by new hires.

McCarthy says this week's silent night is evidence that the recent changes are working, but that the city's police force still has obstacles to overcome in improving their effectiveness.

"While we are making progress," McCarthy told the Chicago Sun-Times, "we still have work to do and will not be satisfied until we significantly decrease the number of murders in every community throughout the city."

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