CHICAGO — Seeking to thwart more violence on the South and West sides, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is ordering 150 police officers who typically work administrative jobs to patrol the streets.
The move comes on the heels of a violent July in which more than 40 people were killed, including 11-year-old Shamiya Adams, who was shot through a window while attending a sleepover.
The officers and sergeants will patrol high-crime areas on the South and West sides Mondays through Thursdays for the month of August, the mayor's office said.
The city says Chicago has seen the fewest murders since 1963 through the first seven months of the year. The move to add more officers to the streets follows Supt. Garry McCarthy's "surge" of additional police, announced in April.
"We all know that crime spikes in the summer when there are more people out on the street, and more opportunities for confrontations or violence," McCarthy said in a statement at the time. "Just because that's a reality doesn't mean it is acceptable, and we will continue building on our policing strategy to ensure every family, every child and every resident can enjoy a safe and carefree summer."
Between 100 and 300 officers were to be deployed to hot spots, parks, CHA developments and CTA property during the summer.
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