Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson announcing the new community policing pilot program at City Club on January 8, 2019. (Video courtesy of City Club of Chicago)

The Policing Project is excited to announce the launch of our partnership with the Chicago Police Department, an important new initiative in community policing.

As announced by Superintendent Eddie Johnson, the pilot program—the result of an ongoing partnership between the Policing Project, Chicago community members, and CPD—is rolling out in District 25, which includes portions of the Austin, Belmont Cragin, Galewood, Hermosa, Logan Square, and Montclare neighborhoods. The goal of the neighborhood policing initiative is to improve public safety through a collaborative relationship between the police and the community they serve.

“The pilot promises to be an important step forward for policing in Chicago,” said Policing Project Director Barry Friedman. “It shows CPD is committed to working directly with communities to keep Chicago safe, and to hearing their input into policing.”

Modeled on the Neighborhood Policing Structure in New York City, the new initiative will allow CPD officers to focus on problem solving and relationship building, and will provide community members with a voice in how public safety is achieved in their community. Under the neighborhood policing initiative, neighborhood patrol officers will remain in specific geographic areas, tasked with developing positive relationships with community members, rather than simply answering 911 calls.

Rapid response units will be in place to ensure that all emergency calls continue to be addressed. Additional officers will be tasked with responding to community concerns and problems. The initiative aims to improve safety, foster problem-solving approaches, increase accountability, and promote trust and confidence in the police.

The project is jointly funded by the Joyce Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.