How can the McKinley Park neighborhood get back to well-attended beat meetings? Attendees at the February 11, 2026, meeting for CAPS Beat 912 offered many ideas to approve attendance.
One resident noted how pre-pandemic Beat 912 meetings were extremely well-attended, with dozens of participants joined by not only police, but also local elected officials. Glenn and Christine Young had previously led these beat meetings as facilitators in the former St. Maurice Church property, but they stepped down in 2020.
Joseph Mark, Chicago Police Department 9th District commander, said that 2026 offers four more meetings for Beat 912 than 2025.
Continuous Engagement
"Increasing beat meetings from six to 10 would only strengthen community partnerships and continuous engagement," he said.
CAPS Beat 912 facilitator Christine Young addresses the crowd at the CAPS Beat 912 Christmas party on Thursday, December 12, 2019, at St. Maurice Church hall.For Beat 912, which covers nearly all of Chicago's McKinley Park neighborhood, meetings will be held each month on the second Wednesday of the month, except for August and December.
Corner of Beat
Residents at the beat meeting suggested many ideas to improve attendance, from flyering the beat in advance to moving the meeting to a more central location.
The current meeting location at the McKinley Park field house is in the corner of the beat, at 2210 W. Pershing Road, Chicago, and is difficult for many to attend, one resident said.
Library Location
Another suggested a central meeting location at the McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St., Chicago. The group also discussed business locations and noted how Beats 913 and 915 are hosting a joint meeting at the Ramova Theater on March 10, 2026.
"Beat meetings are a vital tool for building safer neighborhoods, improving communication and ensuring policing remains responsive to the people it serves,” Mark said. “They give residents a direct platform to express concerns, identify problems and help set neighborhood safety priorities.”
Beat 912 Stats
Coffee With a Cop events are also in planning, said 9th District Community Policing Officer Carlos Aldana, and police would hand out flyers to promote beat meetings at these and other events.
Aldana also presented Beat 912 crime statistics for the past month, emphasizing reports of shots fired between two vehicles at West 34th Street and South Bell Avenue near Edward Everett Elementary School. Aldana also said a person was shot the evening of January 29, 2026, at West 36th and South Iron streets.
March 11 Meeting
Additional reported crimes over the past month included four reports of a person with a gun, 13 thefts, four motor vehicle thefts and three burglaries, Aldana said.
"The department values the collaboration between all our stakeholders and our officers," Mark said.
The next CAPS Meeting for Beat 912 is set for 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the McKinley Park field house.
February 11, 2026, meeting photography by Kevin O'Neil
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