Chicago Police Phasing Out Lineups

Witnesses now asked to identify suspects by looking at photographs

The days of lining up suspects so witnesses and victims can have a look at them may be numbered in Chicago.

The Chicago Police Department is reducing its reliance on the physical lineups, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The decades-old staple of police work and Hollywood television shows has already been abandoned by other big departments such as those in New York and Los Angeles.

Chicago police are following the lead of other departments across the country that instead ask witnesses to identify suspects by looking at photographs. The practice is less expensive and time consuming.

Under the Chicago pilot program launched last November -- and since expanded -- if witnesses do identify a suspect, detectives can still hold a lineup.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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