Crime Fighting Conference?

Touting the massive "reduction" in crime:

• Police leaders and prosecutors from 22 cities are in Chicago today to get some advice from the Chicago Police Department. Crime fighters from across the country are at the University of Chicago Crime Lab for a 2-day conference. They'll be taking field trips to see the technology and meet the people that have helped Chicago reduce its gun violence over the past year. Over the last few years Chicago has become the poster child for gun violence. Homicides surged in 2016 to 764, the highest number this city has seen in nearly 20 years.
  
  The CPD asked Los Angeles police for some help implementing a successful crime fighting program which was proven there. It consisted of technology, policing, and a collaboration with a local university to analyze data.
  
  A year later, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says, “We’ve got a lot of questions from around the country about what worked here.” “We’ve created a model so powerful, along with our officers," he said. "Chicago saw 22 percent less shooting and 16 percent less murders in 2017 compared to 2016.”

That's a good question - what worked here. And the answer, believe it or not, is happenstance.

Sure, the numbers look good if you compare 2017 to 2016. But what if you compare them to 2015? or 2014? Oh yeah, it's trending upward. We've said it before and we'll repeat it here for the tiny brains:

• 2016 was the aberration.

And if you look at our posts last week, we point out the robberies and carjackings are through the roof. Up 200% and then some in some categories. So while homicides and shootings are down from last year, almost everything else isn't. And the clearance rate continues to circle the bowl. Crime isn't getting solved.

But hey, come to Chicago and marvel at the lack of dead bodies in the streets.