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(WTTW News)
As Chicago continues to exceed last year’s shootings and homicides total, the city’s top cop said his department would redeploy dozens of officers to focus more on gang systems he says are among the main drivers of local violence.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown announced on Friday that officers from the department’s community safety team will move to new units focused on gang investigations, homicides, carjackings and drugs.
“We are attacking gangs,” he told a press conference at the Chicago Police Department headquarters. “The gangs are out of control in this city. We are suing them to hold them accountable.
Department officials said the new strategy moves away from the mass incarceration policies of the past and instead will focus on data-driven and intelligence-driven deployments to stop violence before it happens and better facilitate. investigations when violent crime occurs.
In addition to targeting gangs, CPD leaders said on Friday that 40 community security officers would be transferred to hijacking teams. Detective chief Brendan Deenihan said it would be done to assist detectives in carjacking cases, as the department has already made 948 arrests related to the carjacking this year.
Beyond that, Brown did not give specific numbers on how many officers would be transferred to new units.
Already this year, Chicago has recorded at least 542 homicides – a 2% increase from the same period last year and more than what the city saw in 2019.
Pursuing what city and CPD leaders have called an ‘all on deck’ approach to public safety, Brown said on Friday there must be a united effort targeting gangs that includes prosecutors from the DA’s office. of Cook County State, US Attorney General and City Lawyers.
“There is room around the table,” he said, “for our efforts to eliminate gangs. “
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
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