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“We have to build a better relationship between our public and
our police,” Taliaferro told The Center Square. “That's
something that we've worked on for decades. I was a new police
officer as we ushered in CAPS, which is our alternative policing
strategy program. When we ushered that in, there was a whole lot
of emphasis placed on community engagement, community
participation.”
Of the 625 murders recorded in 2023, Chicago Police Department
data shows that nearly one in five, or 111, involved victims
under the age of 19. At the same time, overall violent crime in
the city is at a 10-year high with arrests in those cases
dropping to just 11%.
With much of the violence taking place in the inner-city,
including the South Side neighborhood he calls home, Taliaferro
said he wants to see every tool available being used in the name
of keeping peace.
We have to move into a better model of technology-based
policing, and not get rid of technology that serves to help
solve crimes,” said Taliaferro, who has been one of the loudest
critics of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s recent decision to end the
city’s contract with gunfire detection company ShotSpotter.
“I don't want to move in a backward direction, and taking away
any resource that our police department has to help solve crime
… and save lives, I think would tend to put us in a position of
moving backward rather than forward,” he added.
With vehicle thefts that include carjackings and robberies also
being up by more than 30% in 2023, Taliaferro adds he’s hopeful
Johnson’s ongoing investment in the city’s youth will pay
dividends.
“I'm very supportive of Mayor Johnson and his approach to
providing opportunities and resources to our youth,” Taliaferro
said. “I think he's placed a lot of emphasis on youth employment
and youth engagement and I applaud him for that and making that
a part of his 2024 budget is a win for our city.”
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