Chicago’s novel new crime-fighting tool: Police walking a beat

Chicago Police have a new crime-fighting tool. It’s called — walking the beat.

Chicago Sun-Times reports that the city’s finest have kicked off a new campaign — a “strategic saturation” policy, as it’s dubbed — to help combat crime and round out car patrols. Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said newly discovered gang graffiti suggests sending officers out on foot, as well as in vehicles, is proving effective.

“[Expletive] the foot police,” a photo of gang graffiti stated, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Mr. McCarthy’s point: “Apparently, they’re having some sort of impact on gang members there,” the Chicago Sun-Times quoted him as saying.

The logic of the “strategic saturation” is that while vehicles can move quicker than police on foot, officers riding in cars can’t engage as well with members of the community. Foot patrols will now become part of the department’s regular duties, Mr. McCarthy said.

“In the coming months you are going to see more assigned foot patrols phased into all the zones,” he said, as Chicago Sun-Times reported.