Police planned to increase patrols and put SWAT officers and specialized units on the streets of Chicago over the weekend, a show of force aimed at deterring violence like the three dozen shootings that left nine people dead last weekend.
"Weather permitting, we will have our helicopter up," said police spokeswoman Monique Bond, who said Thursday night was relatively quiet, with only four shootings, none fatal...
...Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that Weis plans to arm and train the city's 13,500 officers with more powerful weapons, including equipping many with M4 carbines to match the firepower of the street gangs they have to face.
Chicago Police SWAT teams are already equipped with M4 carbines, but rank-and-file officers are currently only allowed to carry handguns.
The M4 is a short assault rifle used by the Marine Corps, and it fires more shots in less time than most handguns. The fully automatic version can fire up to 1,000 rounds a minute, although the magazines only hold from 20 to 30 shots... |