In your story headlined “Top cop defends Englewood probe” (Main news, June 23), you quoted Police Supt. Matt Rodriguez as wanting detectives to attend community meetings under the Chicago Alternative Police Strategy program.
Although the superintendent has been splendid in his development of the community policing model, he should be cautious not to be over-reactive to unique circumstances. It is true that there is a void of communications between the beat officer, the community and the detective division, but to require the valuable time of such a limited resource as a detective to perform a function described as beat responsibility would be a waste. To carry this concept to its limits would suggest that other units such as narcotics, vice, traffic and special events should all be present at these meetings. In some instances there would be more police than citizens in attendance.
The real solution is to improve the internal-communications system within the department so that the beat officer is cognizant of investigative processes that are not sensitive. The beat officer could then determine the need for support by other police services and schedule them at a particular meeting. It is hoped this would be an exception since it is the beat officer’s responsibility to communicate on an ongoing basis with the community.
Implementing this solution requires further development of the department’s computer systems so that the divisions are networked and access levels are marked by security codes. Inquiry by a beat officer on his beat should reveal all activity excluding that of a sensitive nature.
In circumstances such as the Englewood neighborhood serial killings, special notices of crimes in surrounding beats and sectors whose victims or offenses impact that beat should be noted. Although this seems technical in nature, our society is so computer-oriented now that it is not unreasonable that this government agency be brought up to date with technology. Since the argument is always insufficient funding to provide for the upgrading, it should be realized that the real cost of not providing this type of tool may be the loss of life and definitely, in the case noted, the loss of many lives.
