Safety Programs

Uptown is split between two Chicago Police districts, with Lawrence Avenue as the border. North of Lawrence Avenue is the 20^th District, and south of Lawrence Avenue is the 19^th District. Each District is further divided into local Beats. Locate your police district and beat in the map below.

CAPS Meetings

We strongly recommended that business owners and residents attend their local community policing, or CAPS (which stands for Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy), beat meetings to get to know your local officers and to discuss issues particular to your block. Learn more about the CAPS program by visiting the CAPS website. Our Community Events Calendar [link] lists local CAPS beat meetings, which are often held in conjunction with local block club meetings.

Community Justice Center Business Meetings

In addition to CAPS beat meetings, Uptown has safety programs for business owners and nonprofit leaders. The 19th and 20th Districts and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Community Justice Center hold regular meetings with local businesses to prevent, problem solve, and communicate about crime and safety issues. Contact us or call the Community Justice Center North office at 773.334.4066 to learn more about these business safety meetings.

Security Rebate Program

The Uptown Special Service Area (SSA) funds a Security Rebate Program. This program is intended for business and property owners who may be limited in their funding with the goal to improve the security and safety of not only their business or property but the public areas of Uptown as well. Security cameras, lighting, and other expenses may be eligible for this program. Important: Rebates must be approved prior to beginning any work on a project. Any project that has started or is complete prior to approval is not eligible for any of these programs. Consult the program application for complete rules and requirements.

Safety Contact Information

For all emergencies, dial 911. For assistance with non-emergency City Services and for information on events, programs and agencies within the City of Chicago call 311 or visit cityofchicago.org/311 If you are not sure whether something is an emergency, dial 911, and the operator will direct non-emergency calls to 311.