Chicago Police Falling Back SMH: No Longer Responding to Less Urgent 911 Calls

Given the fact that violent crimes, especially those dealing with firearms with Chicago have been on a steady rise, Chicago police will no longer be responding to less severe 911 calls. What this means is that they won't be sending actual police officers to the scene of the crime or the place where the victim reported the crime.

These lesser crimes that will no longer require a police officer to arrive in person include garage burglary, simple assault, or vehicle theft. Also crimes where the victim is deemed "safe, secure and not in need of medical attention" and the offender is "not on the scene and not expected to return immediately," police officers will not be responding to in person.

These lesser crimes will instead be dealt with the Chicago Police Department's Alternate Response Section. In 2012 the ARS handled around 74,000 reports of lesser crimes, and this number is expected to double in 2013. The Chicago PD hopes to free up more officers to respond to more serious crimes, and around 44 more officers are expected to be available per day with this new 911 response system.