McCarthy Considering Expansion Of 'Hot Zones' Strategy
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy showed off some of the 1220 guns seized by officers in the first nine weeks of the year, and he said he's considering expanding the number of "hot zones" he saturates with officers on overtime.
McCarthy Considering Expansion Of 'Hot Zones' Strategy
Police Superintendent McCarthy said that averages out to be about 20 guns per day taken off the streets.
"This is so simple. I can't make it any clearer. The guns coming in are putting our officers and the public in danger," said McCarthy.
"Twenty times a day, our officers are facing down gunmen and taking guns out of their waistbands or out of their cars and seizing them in search warrants," said McCarthy.
At least 80 percent of those seized guns are related to gang activity, McCarthy said.
He said police are concentrating on 10 zones in the city right now - where trends show violent crime to be worst - and they're saturating those zones with officers.
The number-one zone for violence right now, McCarthy said, is Gresham.
McCarthy said he's put those 10 zones in priority order, and he's identified 10 more zones where he's considering a saturation with officers.
