The shift by urban police departments to community policing got a 1993 start in Chicago, at nation's second largest department. Broad community participation and subsequent expansion throughout department have made the program a national model. Chicago's recent drop in crime, part of national trend, is attributed in part to new relations between police and residents. But after year of training and community organizing funded by city, new general order has changed structure of program and cut back time beat officers must spend with community members. In church basements and police meeting rooms, some turn into gripe sessions, putting even most-patient police officers on defensive.
City pitches in with services to supplement police and community efforts.
Trees are trimmed to let streetlights brighten sidewalks. Building inspections put pressure on landlords harboring illegal activity. Leroy O'Shield who aggressively worked the pilot project in his Austin district. CAPS had biggest impact in high-crime Austin and Englewood. Optimism and good will toward police rose significantly in four communities.