advertisement

Chicago cops and sheriff's police forge tighter partnership

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said he recently met with interim Chicago Police Supt. John Escalante at a coffeehouse to talk shop.

What emerged from their discussion is a strengthened partnership in which city cops and county sheriff's officers will work together to target violent crime in the Harrison and Austin police districts on the West Side, Dart said.

Murders and shootings this month are about double what they were over the same period of last year. Murders and shootings were up in 2015, too, compared to the previous year.

The sheriff's office was already operating in the city - performing evictions, checking on people released from the Cook County Jail on electronic monitoring and chasing people wanted on criminal warrants.

"We have been doing operations, but not as coordinated as this," Dart said at a news conference Wednesday at Chicago Police headquarters.

"This will be a more thoughtful approach," he said.

The sheriff's office and the police department will work together on drug and gun investigations, Escalante said.

For the full story, click here.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.