Chicago police officers were under attack in 2016 during one of the most violent years in the history of the city.
A total of 31 officers were shot at last year -- an 82 percent increase over 2015 when only 17 officers were shot at, according to The Daily Caller.
Nine Chicago police officers were shot in the line of duty in 2016, but none died as a result of their wounds.
"In many instances, the individuals who chose to pull the trigger are repeat gun offenders emboldened by the national climate against law enforcement and willing to test the limits of our criminal justice system," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said during a press conference last week. "These emboldened criminals are responsible for destroying families and communities as well as dozens of attacks on Chicago police officers in 2016."
There were approximately 762 homicides committed in the city in 2016, which is an almost 50 percent increase from the number of homicides in 2015. Police reported 3,550 shooting incidents and 4,331 shooting victims in 2016.
Officials recently announced plans to curb the homicide rate, including hiring almost 1,000 new officers and starting a mentoring program for men in the city's most violent neighborhoods.
