Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Supt. Garry McCarthy announced their plan to reduce crime in the city.
The plan revitalizes the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy - or the CAPS program - which the nearly 20-year-old community policing program that emphasizes strong cooperation between residents and police.
"For too long community policing became a bureaucracy downtown and the headquarters," Emanuel said. "What started off as mindset, a philosophy and an approach to policing became a bureaucracy."
District commanders will also be in charge of their own programs, to fit the needs of their own communities. Emanuel and McCarthy said district commanders are in a much better position to determine what their own programs should look like than someone in the department's headquarters.
Each district will also be assigned a CAPS sergeant and two police officers.
McCarthy said this shift is the latest part of a crime-fighting strategy that's already put more police officers on the beat and tailored various strategies to specific neighborhoods.
"Previously, community policing programs were
managed from headquarters which just doesn't make sense," McCarthy said. "The needs in each
community we serve are unique so we can not apply a cookie cutter approach to
community outreach and services."
He says the head of the department's patrol division will oversee the programs, but the individual commanders will run them.
McCarthy and the mayor say more money will not be thrown into the CAPS budget.
McCarthy said the police department has pulled 180 guns off the street since 2013 began.
Thursday, May 16 2013 9:49 PM EDT2013-05-17 01:49:53 GMT
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Monday, February 25 2013 1:41 PM EST2013-02-25 18:41:37 GMT
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-21 00:33:23 GMT
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
Monday, May 20 2013 5:52 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:52:14 GMT
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.
Monday, May 20 2013 9:42 AM EDT2013-05-20 13:42:49 GMT
Twelve people have been charged with misdemeanor offenses after police responded to groups of teens running through traffic on North Michigan Avenue and elsewhere on the Gold Coast.
Twelve people have been charged with misdemeanor offenses after police responded to groups of teens running through traffic on North Michigan Avenue and elsewhere on the Gold Coast.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:20 AM EDT2013-05-20 12:20:38 GMT
Five people have been killed and at least 18 others wounded — including a 12-year-old boy left in critical condition — in shootings across the city since Friday night.
Five people have been killed and at least 18 others wounded — including a 12-year-old boy left in critical condition — in shootings across the city since Friday night.
Sunday, May 19 2013 6:44 PM EDT2013-05-19 22:44:15 GMT
Skokie Police Chief Tony Scarpelli said Sunday police still have no suspect in custody in connection with a shooting Friday night near just outside of Westfield's Old Orchard Shopping Center.
Skokie Police Chief Tony Scarpelli said Sunday police still have no suspect in custody in connection with a shooting Friday night near just outside of Westfield's Old Orchard Shopping Center.
Friday, May 17 2013 4:20 PM EDT2013-05-17 20:20:58 GMT
A man who tried to rob three women with a knife in the River North area Thursday night was apprehended by police who spotted him downtown soon after the crimes.
A man who tried to rob three women with a knife in the River North area Thursday night was apprehended by police who spotted him downtown soon after the crimes.
