Chicago Tribune | Chicago reins in murder tally again. [cross posted] 2003 was an important year for Chicago - Chicago lead the nation in murders that year. Then they introduced more police in the worst neighborhoods and introduced new tactics to fight gang violence. The result was that 2004's murder tally was 25% lower than 2003.
That drop was so steep that police officials cautioned against high expectations for 2005.But the 2005 total seems to be in line with the 2004 numbers.
Of course during the intervening years Mayor Daley has tried to get more and more gun control passed in Illinois. But the Chicago police have been effective even though gun control has mostly been turned down in the state capital.
Better use of information, more cops on the street, and concentrating uniformed officers in high crime areas have all contributed to lower crime. I believe the Chicago PD deserves recognition for a job well done!
Posted by Zendo Deb at December 4, 2005 06:25 PM