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Park Forest Introduces Problem-Solving Police Program

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Residents of south suburban Park Forest have a new tool to help them deal with annoying non-emergencies in their neighborhood.

The village has unveiled the Problem Oriented Policing Program (POP), which assigns a specific officer to a particular neighborhood to help residents with quality of life issues, and serve as a direct contact with the department.

Deputy Police Chief Christopher Mannino said an online map identifies which POP officer is assigned to each neighborhood zone, and provides the officer's cell phone number and email address.

"The idea is to put a police officer in personal contact with the neighborhood; make that officer responsible for quality of life issues, and being a liaison between that neighborhood and the police department," Mannino said.

Mannino said POP officers would help quality of life complaints, such as nuisance homes and ongoing parking problems. The program also would offer more interaction between police officers and people in the neighborhoods.

"They attend block parties. They do foot patrols in the area – extra patrols – and then address those special problems that need some extra attention," he said.

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Park Forest resident Lonnel Epps said he likes the idea.

"There's always needed to be a better rapport with the police department, and them going in this direction, I'm definitely a fan of that,"

Epps also said he believes people will feel more trust in the police department through the program.

"They say anyway that the larger crime always comes from something smaller. So I think by addressing the small stuff, then it'll alleviate some of the potential for larger things happening," he said.

Park Forest residents would still call 911 for emergencies.

Residents would still call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

The Problem Oriented Police program map can be found by clicking here.

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