NCJ Number
187766
Journal
On Good Authority Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: August 2000 Pages: 1-4
Date Published
August 2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes how Chicago's community policing effort combines problem solving, planning, and teamwork.
Abstract
Originally implemented in five prototype police districts in 1993, the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) now includes all 25 city police districts, making it one of the nation's largest community policing projects. The program includes four major elements: beat teamwork and problem solving, district management teamwork and planning, district management, and community partnerships. The article describes several components of the CAPS program, including: the beat integrity policy, intra-watch information exchange, problem solving downtime, computerized crime mapping and analysis, and city services as a vital and innovative component of CAPS. It also describes teamwork components at sector and district levels. CAPS continues to focus on strengthening collaborative efforts between the community and local police. A comprehensive program has been implemented in the Chicago Police Department, and important aspects of community policing have been assimilated into the department's daily operations. The article claims that "tremendous strides" have been made toward involving the public in securing neighborhood safety, and community policing has become a routine aspect of city life. Figures