The Resident Officer Program is one of three parts of the Elgin police agency's approach to crime control. Three police officers volunteered to move into neighborhoods or apartment complexes characterized by drug law offenses, shootings, gangs, and other problems. The police officers became both neighbors and police officers, eliminating citizens' feelings of abandonment and concerns about personal safety and improving public attitudes toward their neighborhoods. The program began with the addition of a 5-member police team to a neighborhood. The department then opened two police substations in troubled areas of the city. The success of the substations led to the establishment of the Resident Officer Program. The police officers have become acquainted with community residents and helped individuals in many personal ways. One officer passed out a questionnaire asking residents to identify problems. The 2-year program is part of a long-term process to improve community relations with the police and improve deteriorating neighborhoods. Photographs