Getting a handle on unruly downtown gatherings is ‘priority No. 1’ heading into summer, top police official says

Chicago police on Washington Street on April 15 were overwhelmed by groups of teens who responded to calls on social media postings to gather downtown. (NBC Chicago)

A top Chicago police official said Friday the department’s “priority No. 1” is getting a handle on large gatherings downtown that have devolved into chaos and damaged the city’s reputation. 

During a news conference detailing the city’s summer safety plan, Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott acknowledged that the Chicago Police Department was caught flat-footed when groups of young people descended on the Loop on April 15.