A brief history of the chicago police department

In the early days of Chicago, the persons living in the area relied for protection upon the soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn. When, by 1831, the population of the settlement had reached 350, the settlers decided to vote for incorporation as a town and elected their first Board of Trustees on August 10, 1833. Under this board, the first jail, a log house, was constructed. Although some ordinances to maintain order were passed, no record exists of any early peacekeeping force. Learn More

haymarket memorial statue

Chicago Police Headquarters, 3310 S. Michigan Ave., is the new home of the Haymarket Memorial Statue, which honors the Chicago Police members who lost their lives and were seriously injured on May 4th, 1886.

The newly refurbished statue was relocated from the Training Academy to the west side of the headquarters building on June 1st, 2007.

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About Chicago Police Headquarters

Located on 10 acres in the city's historic Bronzeville community, the new Chicago Police Headquarters is the most technologically advanced police facility in the country. In March 2000, the Public Building Commission completed construction on the 390,000 square-foot building, replacing an antiquated headquarters at 11th and State streets. Begun in 1998, the new
headquarters was unveiled during a grand opening on June 3, 2000. The jewel of police headquarters is the Command Center, a high-tech hub where daily activities of the police department can be carried out - or strategy for managing a crisis situation can be carefully plotted. Eight 50-inch screens spread across the front of the room each can project different visual images. From live news broadcasts to detailed mapping of targeted areas, and from aerial photographs to actual floor plans of buildings, these videoconferencing capabilities provide the tools to make a quick analysis of an unfolding crisis situation. From his seat in the Command Center, Superintendent Phil Cline can participate in roll call at any of his district stations via video links. Or, he and other police officials can track crime throughout the city, spotting patterns in certain neighborhoods and creating a proactive line of attack. In preparation for future technological advances, the PBC installed a fiber optic network of computer lines that enables the police department to continually upgrade computer systems. Because Mayor Richard M. Daley believes that community involvement leads directly to safer neighborhoods, the new headquarters building features a 500-seat public auditorium to encourage community policing through the successful Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) program. With 1,200 administrative personnel working on five floors, the headquarters building keeps a watchful eye on crime 24 hours a day. Because of intense security measures at headquarters, some floors require limited access by staff. However, all employees have access to the world-class exercise room that also serves as a "stress mitigation" center where officers can wind down after a particularly stressful day or event.

contact info.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation

1359 W. Washington Blvd. Chicago IL 60607
312-499-8899
info@cpdmemorial.org

related links

Chicago Timeline - Historical Information from the Chicago Public Library

Chicago Police Department Web site

CLEARpath

Checkerboard Chat -
Chicago Police Dept. Official Blog

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