Moving Day For Chicago Violent Crime Detectives
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago detectives assigned to investigate violent crimes will be moving on Monday, from the North Side to the West Side.
A police spokesperson said the move is taking place so detectives are closer to districts experiencing upticks in violence and detectives can respond to investigate crime scenes faster.
Those detectives had been based at Area North, located at Belmont and Western.
Some detectives investigating homicides and shootings will go from Belmont and Western to the 11th District located at Harrison and Kedzie on the West Side, about five miles away.
The move is welcomed by 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin.
"Right now with the number of people who are getting shot and killed on the West Side of Chicago, I think this a move in the right direction," Ervin told CBS 2's Suzanne LeMignot last week.
North Side residents say they need those detectives in their neighborhoods, too.
Police say the move does not mean detectives would have to drive farther to cover crimes on the North Side, like a recent shooting at a bar in Old Irving Park where a bouncer died.
Police say resources will still remain at Area North.
People packed a North Side community policing meeting last week in a building blocks from two recent murders.
"It definitely feels like violent crime is on the rise in our neighborhoods," said Helen Youngberg.
