CAPS Meetings

Community Alternative Policing Strategy

The Chicago Police Department and the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council are committed to reducing crime to create a more attractive neighborhood and create conditions conducive to investment in the community.  The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council has been actively engaged in the Community Alternative Policing Strategy with the Chicago Police Department.  Our staff frequently attends Beat Meetings, advertises the meetings in our newsletters, encourages the participation of our clients, and the BYNC is always present at anti-gang rallies.

Through the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS), the community, police, and other City Departments work together to identify and solve the problems of crime and disorder to improve the quality of life for all of Chicago’s neighborhoods.

The Police Department has 8 or 9 officers assigned to the same area, called a “Beat”.  Having consistent officers assigned to the same Beat ensures that the Beat Officers get to know you and your neighborhood, and you can get to know them.

The Beat team hosts monthly meetings, often called “CAPS Meetings”, where the community and the Beat team can get together to discuss crime and disorder in the area.  The community is instrumental in deciding which problems the Beat team and community members will work on.  Then, working as a team, the Beat Team and community members will analyze the problem and design strategies to solve the problem.