Sam Charles

Sam Charles is a criminal justice reporter for the Chicago Tribune covering the Chicago Police Department. He was previously a staff reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times and an investigative producer at WGN-TV. He is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.

President Remel Terry, second from right, and others listen during the public comment portion of a monthly meeting of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) at Kelly College Preparatory High School in Chicago, April 2, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

44 applicants vie to become next CPD Superintendent

September 28, 2026 at 8:09 p.m.

Forty-four prospective candidates have submitted applications to become the next permanent superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, according to the city agency tasked with vetting those bids.

Chicago police recruits salute during a graduation and promotion ceremony on June 5, 2023, at Navy Pier. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois Supreme Court hears argument over Chicago police discipline and transparency

September 24, 2026 at 5:04 p.m.

Attorneys for the union representing Chicago police officers squared off with those from the city's Department of Law before the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday to argue the most significant...

Earl Wilson, center, listens during the start of his jury trial for the 2017 fatal shooting of Cook County Judge Raymond Myles and the shooting of his girlfriend, at the Cook County courthouse in Bridgeview, Jan. 13, 2026. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Family of slain Cook County judge recalls loss ahead of sentencing

September 21, 2026 at 7:28 p.m.

During a hearing Monday ahead of his killer’s sentencing, Cook County Judge Raymond Myles’ closest relatives remembered him as a loving, attentive father and a diligent jurist “with a servant’s...

Chicago police officers stand side by side during a memorial roll call on May 6, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois Supreme Court to hear case that will determine future of Chicago police misconduct process

September 21, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The Illinois Supreme Court this week will hear arguments from attorneys for the city of Chicago and Fraternal Order of Police in a case that will determine the future of...

Rapper Lil Durk, with his trophy for “All My Life,” at the 2024 Grammy Awards held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Chicago rapper Lil Durk acquitted in one case but still faces RICO charges stemming from Chicago slaying

September 14, 2026 at 5:01 p.m.

Two days after his stunning acquittal on murder-for-hire charges in Los Angeles, Chicago-born rapper Lil Durk posted a photo of his high-powered trial team on social media along with a...

Members of the public attend a listening sessions held by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability while discussing the search for the Chicago Police Department’s next permanent superintendent at Morgan Park High School in Chicago on Aug. 27, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Chicagoans have broad demands as search for next CPD superintendent hits halfway mark

September 14, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Two months since the retirement of former police Superintendent Larry Snelling, Chicagoans have had their say in what the priorities of the next Chicago Police Department boss should be. And...

John Catanzara, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, departs after speaking during a news conference, April 27, 2026, at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Feds demand FOP President John Catanzara’s financial records from state lodge

September 8, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.

Federal investigators issued a subpoena to the state police union late last year in an apparent probe into Chicago FOP President John Catanzara's financial dealings, according to a copy of...

Chicago police work in the left field seats after a reported shooting at the White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 25, 2023. (Kaarin Tisue/Chicago Tribune)

Civil trial in White Sox bleachers shooting set for January

September 3, 2026 at 1:48 p.m.

More than three years after a shooting during a White Sox home game left two women injured, the singular question — “How were they shot?” — may soon have an...

Families who used South Chicago Chapel and Bohemian National Cemetery to handle the remains of deceased loved ones gather outside the closed funeral home for a vigil Aug. 30, 2026, in the South Deering neighborhood. Over 50 decomposing bodies were discovered earlier in the month at the funeral home and cemetery. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Maggots, rat feces and a body in a bathroom: Records detail decrepit conditions at South Side funeral home

September 2, 2026 at 4:21 p.m.

On Aug. 3, state investigators inspecting the notorious South Chicago Chapel were confronted with an overwhelming smell and a nightmarish scene.

Debris from a party is left behind on Aug. 30, 2026, near the 5400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in Washington Park after an overnight mass shooting left one person dead and more than a dozen others injured on Chicago’s South Side. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Victims recovering from late-summer mass shooting in Washington Park as police look for answers

August 31, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

15 shot in Washington Park in what ultimately became the largest mass shooting Chicago has seen this year.

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