City Crime

City Of Chicago: Crime On The Rise, Time For Change

A report from the Chicago Tribune on July 20, 2010 stated that the majority of residents in the City of Chicago believe crime is up. A long-time resident that was once committed to staying in the city reported that he is considering a move to the suburbs to avoid the crime. Just one month after that poll, a man attempted to break into an off-duty police officer’s home. The block is home to several police officers. That fact did not detour the person from attempting to break in. The city must address the crime throughout the city to make it safer for families, small businesses and visitors.

1. Hire And Retain Officers To Bolster A Depleted Police Force

The first and most important step to fighting crime in the city is through hiring more full-time police officers. The number of officers on duty is simply not enough to deal with the crime that is facing the city. An option to help bolster the force is rehiring former officers from Chicago and other jurisdictions to fill in part time in the city. Every potential officer would submit to a screening process. The move would provide an immediate spike in the number of experienced officers protecting the streets of Chicago.

2. Create A Reward For Reporting Criminals

A way to encourage citizens to report crimes is through the development of a reward program for information. Through the program citizens could report details of a crime that are vital to the investigation. The goal would be to allow them to make the report anonymously to protect the informants. If the tip leads to a conviction for a misdemeanor or felony, the individual would receive a reward for providing the information. A program such as this would encourage the city as a whole to take part in stopping crime.

3. Develop Phone Application To Simplify Reporting A Crime

Technology is expanding and cities must start using it to their benefit. Many people throughout the city communicate on a daily basis through their Blackberry, iPhone or Android phones. The development of an application that works on all three platforms could reduce the money being spent administratively by the city. In turn, they could use that money to hire more officers. The application would also enable residents to quickly and efficiently report a crime. Providing this technology will encourage reporting, improve accuracy of the reports and allow easy attachment of mobile photos that could be vital to convictions.