Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson recently announced two significant investments in the crime fight – 108 new police officers and five new patrol vehicles equipped with License Plate Reader Technology aimed at stopping carjackings and recovering stolen vehicles.
108 new officers hitting the street
The 108 new police officers are now deployed to their first district assignments, with eight officers assigned to each police district within the 42nd Ward: 1st (Central), 12th (Near West), and 18th (Near North).
During their six-months of training at the Police Academy, recruits learned all applicable laws and protocols for being a Chicago Police Officer. In addition to physical training, they received instruction in procedural justice, crisis intervention and de-escalation, use of force, community building and critical thinking. Recruits also received cultural awareness training at the DuSable Museum of African American History and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. This was followed by three months of field training, during which officers are paired with Field Training Officers for hands-on guidance during their first in-the-field months.
Two thirds of the newly assigned officers identify as minority. The Chicago Police Department (CPD)’s ongoing “Be the Change” recruitment campaign, reflects the belief that this new generation of police officers will lay the groundwork for a more diverse department, and be future leaders who define how police support, protect, and work together with Chicago’s communities. The next police entry exam will take place on May 5th at McCormick Place.
Since the Mayor and CPD launched its aggressive hiring plan, the Department has had a net increase of 1,037 sworn personnel compared to January 1, 2017, including accounting for all retirements, attrition, and promotions that occurred throughout 2017 and into 2018. The City is on track to meet the Mayor’s plan for hiring an additional 1,000 officers by the end of 2018.
To read the full press release, click here.
More tools to stop carjackings
CPD has also expanded the use of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology. Five new patrol vehicles have been equipped with LPR readers, aimed at stopping auto thefts, carjackings, and recovering stolen vehicles. Automated LPR technology helps officers quickly identify stolen cars, return vehicles to the rightful owner and apprehend offenders.
The City is also harnessing the Department of Finance’s (DOF) vehicle booting operation to feed license plates to the Office of Emergency Management and Communication’s (OEMC) stolen car and other crime databases. DOF booters canvas City streets six days a week, providing over 3,000 license plate reads per boot vehicle, per day. By collaborating with the OEMC, not only are the boot trucks identifying the vehicles that are boot-eligible, but LPR technology allows the City to match license plates against the list of stolen vehicles.
The 26 DOF booter vehicles add to an existing 100 fixed (pole-mounted) and CPD’s mobile LPR cameras. If a vehicle is identified as stolen, CPD is notified by a 911 dispatcher. Since March 2018, DOF booters have identified and reported over 190 hits from the stolen vehicle list to CPD.
This coordinated effort to quickly identify stolen cars through LPR cameras is part of the City’s strategic plan to combat carjacking and car thefts, and invest in technology that raises situational awareness and likelihood of apprehension. As a result, CPD has made 20% more arrests for vehicular hijacking compared to last year.
To read the full press release, click here.
Source: Alderman Reilly Reports 5/4/18
