Tom Ahern, deputy director of news affairs and communications for the Chicago Police Department, shared a series of updates regarding recent incidents and departmental news in Chicago on January 12, 2026.
In a post at 14:05 UTC, Ahern provided information about an ongoing investigation into a police-involved shooting: “Preliminary Statement on Police-Involved Shooting in the 4700 block of W. Fifth @ChicagoCAPS11 @Area4Detectives Investigative Response Team #ChicagoPolice https://t.co/jZ6FXCaPQV”.
Shortly after, at 14:12 UTC, he announced criminal charges related to a violent incident on public transit: “Offender Charged with Murder of 44-Year-Old Male, Attempted Murder of 23-Year-Old Male on #CTA @ChicagoCAPS01 (Downtown) @Area3Detectives @TOCPolice #ChicagoPolice https://t.co/KIyirZkv1e”.
Later that day, at 19:57 UTC, Ahern posted a message honoring a fallen member of the department: “You will be deeply missed, Deputy Chief #RestInPeace #ChicagoPolice https://t.co/anPeVP7YK3 https://t.co/jhkT1qcfxQ”.
Ahern is known for his public service role disseminating community safety alerts and law enforcement updates through his official channels. As deputy director with experience as a senior special agent in federal law enforcement and as a graduate of Marquette University, he provides regular communication on investigations and community safety efforts for the Chicago Police Department (source). His work includes highlighting partnerships with other agencies and promoting crime tip lines to enhance public safety across Chicago (profile).
