The Latest: Protesters criticize Chicago mayor's plan
CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's public safety plan (all times local):
7:15 p.m.
About two dozen protesters gathered outside Chicago's Malcolm X College, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel delivered a speech outlining his plans to combat the surge of violence plaguing the city this year.
The demonstrators were holding up signs demanding Emanuel adopt a civilian police accountability council they want to investigate police misconduct.
They say the board Emanuel is proposing is a farce because they believe it will be controlled by the mayor and does not have a set budget.
One of the demonstrators, Pamela Hunt, said "Malcolm X would be turning over in his grave" if they weren't protesting.
The mayor's speech came a day after the city announced it was going to hire several hundred additional police officers to combat violence.
7 p.m.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has delivered his vision for fighting crime in the nation's third-largest city that includes new efforts to mentor youths in violent neighborhoods, legislation and police reforms.
He spoke for about 40 minutes Thursday in front of an invitation-only crowd at Malcolm X College on the city's West Side. The friendly audience offered applause several times, including when Emanuel mentioned plans to add more police officers and a new mentorship program.
Emanuel says the "deck has been stacked" against many youths in Chicago and it's time to reshuffle the deck. The three-year mentoring effort will help over 7,000 young people in Chicago and will be paid for with $36 million in public and private funds.
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6:10 p.m.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will focus on a revamped youth mentoring program and ask for the community's help in his speech on crime prevention.
A copy of the prepared remarks Thursday shows he'll note recent police reforms, statewide legislation, some new technology and a public-private partnership that'll help an estimated 7,200 youths in high-crime areas over the next three years.
That program is estimated to cost about $36 million.
The invitation-only speech comes as the city has seen a troubling spike in crime and his police department is under an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
Outside the venue at a community college a couple dozen protesters stood quietly. Some are holding signs calling for a civilian police accountability council they want created to investigate police misconduct cases.
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5:20 p.m.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will announce a $36 million effort to expand mentoring for youth from high-crime areas in the city.
Lisa Morrison Butler is the Chicago Commissioner of the Department of Family and Support Services. She says the effort will help 7,200 youth over three years. She discussed details ahead of Emanuel's Thursday evening speech.
Butler says it's a public and private partnership with half of the money coming from the city. The other portion will be privately raised.
She says city officials worked with experts to identify high-crime areas in need and that organizations that participate will help provide services to individual children.
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3:50 p.m.
The spotlight is on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as he gears up to deliver his "comprehensive vision" to reduce and prevent crime in the city.
Chicago has seen a dramatic spike in violence this year, something that's come up on the presidential campaign trail and in citywide protests.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday suggested violence in Chicago is worse than violence in Afghanistan.
Emanuel's challenger in last year's mayoral runoff election, Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, said Thursday that Emanuel needs to keep his promises.
Meanwhile, Chicago activists with Black Lives Matter are urging city officials to focus on wider issues like unemployment, schools and health care.
Chicago officials have already announced plans to add more police, expand the use of body cameras and add training for officers.
Emanuel will speak Thursday evening.
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12:15 a.m.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will deliver his new, more comprehensive plan for addressing public safety in the nation's third-largest city.
The agenda is expected to include more support and mentorship of youth, a key theme he's expected to address in the evening speech at a community college campus.
His comments come as Chicago is seeing a spike in violent crime and dealing with fallout from the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald, which prompted a U.S. Department of Justice investigation. The black teenager was shot 16 times by a white police officer. Video of the incident sparked national outrage.
Chicago police have already announced that the department will hire nearly 1,000 more officers in the next two years, and all officers will use body cameras and undergo de-escalation training. Emanuel is also pushing a plan to overhaul Chicago's system for investigating police shootings and officer complaints.