Illinois Sends State Troopers To Help Chicago Reduce Criminal Violence
From the Wall Street Journal
Forty state troopers will join city efforts to reduce violence after several attention-grabbing incidents this summer, including more than four dozen shootings during the July 4 weekend.
The city and state plan to form about 20 so-called surge teams, consisting of five Chicago officers and two troopers, who will work on arrest warrants, surveillance and investigations, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Wednesday.
The effort is set to last 30 days, at which point it will be evaluated for a possible extension. The troopers are being reassigned from elsewhere.
Funding for the initiative, which was requested by Mr. Emanuel, will come from the state. The cost wasn't disclosed.
Despite the violence, Chicago's murder rate this year remains one of the lowest in decades. Through the end of July, the city saw 211 murders, or 17 fewer than during the same period in 2013 and 92 fewer than at the same point in 2012.
Colleen Daley, executive director of the nonprofit Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, said she was pleased by the news of the police cooperation. "Recognizing that we can have more assistance from the state police is a good thing," she said.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Wall Street Journal
Forty state troopers will join city efforts to reduce violence after several attention-grabbing incidents this summer, including more than four dozen shootings during the July 4 weekend.
The city and state plan to form about 20 so-called surge teams, consisting of five Chicago officers and two troopers, who will work on arrest warrants, surveillance and investigations, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Wednesday.
The effort is set to last 30 days, at which point it will be evaluated for a possible extension. The troopers are being reassigned from elsewhere.
Funding for the initiative, which was requested by Mr. Emanuel, will come from the state. The cost wasn't disclosed.
Despite the violence, Chicago's murder rate this year remains one of the lowest in decades. Through the end of July, the city saw 211 murders, or 17 fewer than during the same period in 2013 and 92 fewer than at the same point in 2012.
Colleen Daley, executive director of the nonprofit Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, said she was pleased by the news of the police cooperation. "Recognizing that we can have more assistance from the state police is a good thing," she said.
Read more in our daily News Update...