By Darlene Hill, FOX 32 News reporter - bio | email
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
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.
Saturday, May 25 2013 10:50 AM EDT2013-05-25 14:50:09 GMT
The tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday took a devastating toll in the number of lives lost and property destroyed. But amidst the anguish and destruction there is another heart-wrenching tragedy.
The tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday took a devastating toll in the number of lives lost and property destroyed. But amidst the anguish and destruction there is another "heart-wrenching" tragedy -- displaced pets.
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.
Saturday, May 25 2013 11:04 AM EDT2013-05-25 15:04:24 GMT
City residents sick of coupons piling up on their front doorsteps filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month urging the Chicago Tribune and Valassis Communications to stop distributing the mailings.
City residents sick of coupons piling up on their front doorsteps filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month urging the Chicago Tribune and Valassis Communications to stop distributing the mailings on their properties.
Saturday, May 25 2013 10:50 AM EDT2013-05-25 14:50:09 GMT
The tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday took a devastating toll in the number of lives lost and property destroyed. But amidst the anguish and destruction there is another heart-wrenching tragedy.
The tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday took a devastating toll in the number of lives lost and property destroyed. But amidst the anguish and destruction there is another "heart-wrenching" tragedy -- displaced pets.
Saturday, May 25 2013 10:18 AM EDT2013-05-25 14:18:44 GMT
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of an Aurora attorney who died of medical complications following a 2012 single-engine plane crash in Florida.
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of an Aurora attorney who died of medical complications following a 2012 single-engine plane crash in Florida.
Friday, May 24 2013 11:00 PM EDT2013-05-25 03:00:57 GMT
An Evanston high school varsity baseball team will not play in the playoff tournament this weekend after a group of students, including team members, allegedly "sexted" risque photos to each other.
An Evanston high school varsity baseball team will not play in the playoff tournament this weekend after a group of students, including team members, allegedly "sexted" risque photos to each other.
Police say actress Amanda Bynes has been arrested in midtown Manhattan after she heaved a marijuana bong out of a window.
Actress Amanda Bynes appeared disheveled in a long blond wig and sweats Friday in a criminal court where she was charged with reckless endangerment after police said she heaved a marijuana bong out the window of her...
Friday, May 24 2013 10:16 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:16:28 GMT
A Lake County jury has convicted James Ealy of strangling his former boss during a 2006 robbery at the north suburban Burger King restaurant where he once worked.
A Lake County jury has convicted James Ealy of strangling his former boss during a 2006 robbery at the north suburban Burger King restaurant where he once worked.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:32 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:32:17 GMT
A couple accused of murdering a 1-month-old boy and allegedly dumping the body in the Des Plaines River pleaded not guilty to the crime during a Thursday court hearing in Maywood.
A couple accused of murdering a 1-month-old boy and allegedly dumping the body in the Des Plaines River pleaded not guilty to the crime during a Thursday court hearing in Maywood.
Thursday, May 23 2013 4:46 PM EDT2013-05-23 20:46:28 GMT
Thieves have struck a Streeterville area construction site a handful of times over the past week, taking tools and construction materials, police said.
Thieves have struck a Streeterville area construction site a handful of times over the past week, taking tools and construction materials, police said.
Thursday, May 23 2013 2:15 PM EDT2013-05-23 18:15:44 GMT
Antwone Price had just moved into a new house in the south suburbs, and he was talking about finally marrying the woman he'd been with for several years — the woman with whom he shared a baby girl.
Antwone Price had just moved into a new house in the south suburbs, and he was talking about finally marrying the woman he'd been with for several years — the woman with whom he shared a baby girl.
