Police ride-along shows anti-violence strategy first-hand - My50 Chicago - Television - WPWR

Communities in the 6th District--including neighborhoods like Chatham, Auburn Gresham, and Grand Crossing--were hit hard this summer with gang and gun violence.

Fox Chicago's Darlene Hill went for a ride-along on Chicago's South Side with part of a tactical unit on what officials say was a quiet night.

"We're out there patrolling and there's nobody out sometimes. You know nothing going on is a good thing sometimes."

It's quiet because it's cold outside—a big difference in what happened this summer when gangs and gun violence dominated the news. Each summer weekend in Chicago brought in record crime statistics, including one weekend where 15 people were shot within 24 hours. In March, in the 6th District, six people were shot, one fatal, at a convenience store.

The store is now closed and the officers say the department's anti-violence strategies, put in place last July since these shootings, are working.

"Part of our strategy is to keep our officers on the beat over here and our tact team is over here and the longer they stay over here---and the longer they do the more intelligence they get," explains Lt. Dwayne Batts.

Darlene Hill rode around in what the beat cops call "the conflict zone." The perimeters include Loomis to Wood from 76th to 81st.

"And within that area you have three factions…three main factions of the same gang--so there's an internal conflict with the same gang, which not only stems from narcotics, but stems from shootings," says Sgt. Brian Kinnane.

Now, when a homicide occurs, officers are quick to get ahead of retaliatory shootings because they know who the gangbangers are, what gangs they were in, and who are their friends and enemies.