In response to an increase in violence, including six shootings in the last week, the Chicago Police Department has stepped up patrols in and adopted "creative policing strategies," including deploying the Chicago Police Helicopter Unit,
Alderman Joe Moore informed his constituents this week.
"Many Rogers Park residents have noticed the frequent presence of a helicopter in our neighborhood over the past week. This is a police helicopter. The Police Department is including Rogers Park and other North Side neighborhoods as part of its routine patrols, much like a squad car, except it is up in the air and can cover more territory more quickly," wrote Moore, who represents Chicago's 49th Ward which includes the neighborhoods of Rogers Park, West Ridge and Edgewater.
He added that the helicopter would not be a permanent fixture, but was dispatched due to "heightened tension" in the district. The city's Organized Crime Unit also has been deployed and the Chicago Police Mass Transit Unit has added additional patrols.
Illinois started granting concealed carry permits this year, which has led to a 20 percent decrease in the number of robberies that have led to arrests in Chicago since last year, the
Washington Times reported in August.
In the first quarter, the city’s homicide rate was at a 56-year low.
Despite the decline, certain areas of the city have experienced increased violence, including several high-profile murders. Over the July 4th holiday weekend, 13 people were killed and at least 58 were wounded despite the deployment of hundreds of extra officers, according to the
Chicago Sun-Times.
Over the course of the September 5-7 weekend, seven people were killed, at least 22 were shot and several others were stabbed in violent attacks across Chicago,
NBC Chicago reported.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.