New Chicago Police Areas Open To Expand Violent Crime Fight

CHICAGO — Two new police areas opened Thursday as part of the department's ongoing restructuring aimed at putting more officers and detectives closer to underserved neighborhoods.

The return to five police areas — an organizational structure that was in place seven years ago — puts patrol officers, detectives, gang investigation teams and specialized units under the supervision of a single deputy chief, a move officials say improves communication and accountability, authorities said.

Police Supt. David Brown said the new police areas will be helpful as the department sets to reach his "moonshot" goals to reduce shootings and murders and increase trust in the police department.

"We are investing in our crime-fighting strategy by moving detectives closer to the areas they serve so we can move closer to our goal of making Chicago the safest big city in the nation," Brown said. "This expansion demonstrates our commitment to seeking justice and bringing closure to victims and their families.”

Gang investigations and saturation teams working out of the new police area, allows the department to respond more quickly to scenes, and moving detectives into higher crime areas in order to conduct investigations more efficiently and effectively, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said.