The Brief
- Cicero police cut overall crime 11 percent in three years by strengthening ties with the largely Hispanic community.
- Nearly 80 percent of officers speak Spanish, helping solve cases and ease fears about immigration enforcement.
- Officials say daily interactions and a real-time crime center have boosted trust and improved investigations.
CICERO, Ill. – Crime has fallen sharply in Cicero over the past three years, a drop police credit to stronger community engagement and communication in residents’ own language.
Cicero Police Commander Armando Galvin makes a point of greeting kids on his daily patrol, a habit he says helps build trust.
“He said, ‘I always remember you, on patrol you would see us play catch,’” Galvin recalled of one young resident who later joined the department. “It’s a good feeling. Full circle.”…