Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy

The Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) is a community-based policing strategy. It was field-tested in five experimental districts in Chicago, Ill. In each of the districts, patrol officers were divided on a rotating basis into beat teams and rapid response teams. Beat teams were able to spend most of their time working their beats and with community organizations, while rapid response teams concentrated their efforts on excess 911 calls. Beat meetings were held on a monthly basis, and each district formed a civilian advisory committee to advise commanders and help mobilize problem-solving resources. Districts were responsible for identifying local priorities, planning strategies to address them and then executing their plans.

The goal of this strategy is to improve the effectiveness of policing in Chicago.

The evaluation used a quasi-experimental design based on the differential changes in views and experience of two groups over time. The evaluation revealed evidence of improvement in every program area, compared with the nonexperimental group. The victimization component revealed a decrease in auto thefts in one district and street crime in another. Reports of drug and gang problems declined in two of the worst areas, as did perceptions of physical decay. Reports of graffiti decreased significantly in the area where it was found to be the biggest problem.