Suburban state police lost to Chicago

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is siphoning state police out of the suburbs to concentrate on crime in Chicago.

Under his plan to beef up Windy City security following a rash of violence, Blagojevich has moved one "team" of state troopers from the Elgin-based second district to Chicago. The troopers make up one of two teams that normally roam the suburban area targeting gang problems and roads with high fatality rates.

In addition, two similar teams that roam the Chicago and Cook County suburban region will now be confined to city limits, said state police Lt. Luis Gutierrez.

The move will leave the Elgin-based district, which includes about 60 officers, with just one "special enforcement team," he said.

Gutierrez refused to say how many troopers a "team" comprises or how many additional troopers are being moved to Chicago in total. About 60 troopers are based in the state police's second district, he said.

Gutierrez said the move was made to focus on the critical need in Chicago.

"It is not that they are not needed in Elgin," he said of the team there. "It is just that in this case, they are needed in Chicago."

The move is part of Blagojevich's much touted plan to help Chicago Mayor Richard Daley stifle a recent uptick in homicides.

The teams started working Wednesday night on Chicago's interstate system, where they landed two drug arrests, picked up three people on warrants and made one gun arrest, Gutierrez said.

The teams will focus on interstates in areas of high crime and thus be available as backup to Chicago police officers nearby. In addition, the state police will help with Chicago's gun-tracking unit.

Elgin Mayor Ed Schock said it didn't bother him if state police are lost in the suburbs to help Chicago.

"They should go where they are most needed," he said. "If there are other cities experiencing problems that need help, I think that is a good use of resources."