Chicago Police Department Supt. Garry F. McCarthy announced yesterday the 911 calls will no longer be answer by regular beat police but by 311 Alternate Response Section (ARS) police officers. ARS officers will now handle all calls of non-emergency crimes where the offender has left the scene, the victim is not in imminent threat and an officer on the scene would not result in an immediate arrest. Victims will either have their calls handled over the phone or an ARS officer will be sent out.
The decision factors in assigning to ARS include:
- Offender is not on scene and not expected to return immediately.
- Victim is safe and secure and does not need medical attention.
- An officer on the scene would not result in the immediate arrest of the offender.
- An officer on the scene is not needed for the immediate investigation.
The criteria for assignment to 311 ARS include all non-criminal reports, such as lost property and noncriminal damage reports (broken window, tree falls on property, etc.). A variety of criminal reports will also be sent to an officer at ARS and include:
- Vehicle theft
- Bogus checks
- Criminal damage to property
- Garage burglary
- Theft
- Lewd/obscene phone calls
- Threatening phone calls without any imminent danger
- Animal bites
- Simple assault
- Recovered vehicle at an auto pound.
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