Four southwest suburbs are joining forces to fight crimes involving guns, gambling, prostitution and drugs, Alsip village officials said this week.
The Alsip Village Board on Monday approved an agreement to establish a multi-jurisdictional tactical team that includes Oak Forest, Midlothian and Crestwood, all of which have a need for specialized police work, Alsip Police Chief Rick Dalzell said. The new team is designed to provide a proactive approach to deter serious crime in problem areas before it happens, Dalzell said.
Each town will assign at least one officer to the team, making tactical activity “more effective and a more efficient use of manpower,” he said. Having an increased number of tactical officers to draw on would eliminate the need to allocate patrol officers to assist with tactical duty, which was a primary consideration for police chiefs, Dalzell added.
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Another benefit is that officers from cooperating departments are less likely to be recognized during surveillance activities, he noted.