When it comes to American cities with the highest violent crime rates, Chicago takes the cake.
And this troubled city continues to see skyrocketing crime, despite its attempts to tamp the numbers down.
But Chicago’s crime problem is so bad that officials are launching this one off-the-wall idea.
Chicago needs to increase police manpower
It’s no secret that Chicago, Illinois is one of the most crime-ridden cities in the United States.
And this city has seen robberies up by nearly 30% across the city compared to just two years ago.
Chicago Alderman Chris Taliaferro told The Center Square he wishes Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new plan designed to restore law and order focused more on what matters: ramping up manpower in the police department.
According to Taliaferro, a former Chicago Police Department officer and current member of the city’s Public Safety Committee, “We’re down over 2,000 police officers and how can you deter crime when folks know that there’s not enough police officers out here?”
“We’re not just putting the emphasis on policing and we’re letting police officers attrition out and not replacing them responsibly,” he added.
Now that summer is quickly approaching, Mayor Johnson has joined Police Superintendent Larry Snelling and other city officials to detail the department’s new four-pronged attack designed to keep residents safe from crime.
The plan includes deploying “focus missions” to prevent crimes and to deter suspects using technology like license plate readers and pod cameras while also increasing community engagement.
Some neighborhoods in Chicago have seen a spike in robberies as high as 155%.
These robberies include dangerous smash-and-grabs and other types of robberies where crews work as teams to target victims in repeat attacks.
The groups jump out of stolen cars that are used as getaway vehicles.
In response, CPD is hosting what it calls “Vehicle Safety Days” to give Hyundai and Kia owners software updates that are supposed to help slow the thefts of these vehicles.
Taliaferro says he sees some positive aspects to the mayor’s plan, but he also thinks one necessary change Johnson isn’t making is putting more boots on the ground.
A more comprehensive plan is needed
“We have to take that step further and make sure that this summer we have an adequate number of officers on the street that could deter crime. So, it’s a comprehensive plan, I think that we need to look at policing as well as public engagement,” Taliaferro said.
Johnson has attempted to re-emphasize his long-term goal, which is trying to solve the root causes of crime.
He plans to do this by bringing new opportunities and investments to the most underserved communities in Chicago.
However, Taliaferro says there needs to be immediate solutions due to the seriousness of the current crime crisis.
“We’ve been looking at the root causes of crime for 50-60 years without seeing success, so it’s an unproven approach. And then if you want to make those significant reductions in less than four years, it’s going to be almost impossible,” he concluded.
Blue State Blues will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
