In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice and Chicago’s Police Accountability Task Force both released reports highlighting the need to improve the relationship between the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the communities it serves. In response, CPD sought to embed community policing — a strategy of policing that focuses on building ties and working closely with members of the community —at all levels.

Since 2016, Civic Consulting Alliance has supported CPD in its efforts to improve the relationship between police and communities. This work has included projects to prepare for a court-monitored consent decree, to implement a new use of force training, and to develop and implement the Department’s new strategic plan.

Over the past year, in particular, Civic Consulting Alliance—together with pro bono partner Deloitte — has worked with the Office of Community Policing to expand its capacity to implement Community Policing Advisory Panel (CPAP) recommendations and consent decree mandates. In fall of 2018, we helped the Office of Community Policing design its new operating model and management infrastructure, and since January, we have supported the Office of Community Policing by creating District and Bureau Strategic Plans that (1) embed community policing approaches into crime reduction strategies and (2) incorporate community input.

While much work remains to be done, with support from Civic Consulting Alliance, the Department has already introduced new mechanisms to embed community policing approaches into its strategies, by facilitating greater transparency and community input. In March and April, CPD conducted 44 community conversations across Chicago, speaking with more than 2,000 community members in order to develop District-level strategic plans. In May, CPD published these plans—one for each of the Department’s 22 Districts—on its website. Districts and Bureaus will update the public on progress against plan metrics on an ongoing basis.

By expanding the Office of Community Policing’s capacity to implement CPAP recommendations and consent decree mandates, Civic Consulting Alliance is helping to transform the Office so that it can more effectively track, measure, and improve the CPD’s community policing efforts.

“My colleagues and I are grateful to Civic Consulting Alliance for helping us make strategic changes to our systems and processes to improve how our Department approaches community policing.”

—Office of Community Policing Deputy Chief Dwayne Betts

Our aim is that this work will make communities and police safer, by improving the quality of policing and the relationship between the Department and the communities it serves.