The audit reviewed a sample of 383 assault-related incident reports out of a total of 83,480 for 2012.
Because of the findings, Chicago Police officials have agreed to review every aggravated assault and battery in 2012 and 2013 — and count each victim.
Police officials explained that the Illinois Uniform Crime Report, which is created annually by the Illinois State Police, changed the way aggravated assaults and batteries were reported in 2010. The Uniform Crime Report went from counting “incidents” to counting victims. Multiple victims can be part of each incident.
The Chicago Police Department, which was headed by police Supt. Jody Weis in 2010, failed to change the way those crimes were reported and the problem came to the attention of police Supt. Garry McCarthy in late 2013, officials said.
McCarthy ordered a review of 2012 and 2013 reports of aggravated battery and assault. He also is changing the field manual for officers, so they know how to report those crimes accurately.
The audit didn’t address the way police count shooting incidents. Shootings are not included as a category in the Illinois Uniform Crime Report.
The audit also didn’t examine the classification and reporting of murders. Of the 6,260 homicides reported on the city’s data portal between 2001 and June 12, 2013, all but 19 of them were classified as first-degree murder. Nineteen were counted as involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide.