To support the work of the beat officers and to ensure that emergency calls for service are answered promptly, teams of rapid response officers have been created in all 25 police districts. Rapid response officers —

Handle many of the emergency calls for service on their sectors (a grouping of 3 to 5 beats).

Provide backup for beat officers when they are attending community beat meetings or working with the community in other ways.

The presence of rapid response officers helps beat officers to stay on their beats, maintaining a strong police presence and addressing the community’s priority crime problems.

Plainclothes tactical and gang officers assigned to each police district also support the work of beat officers by focusing on solving crimes and apprehending offenders.