CHICAGO – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy are firing back at critics – including some City Council members – who say the city’s escalating homicide rate is proof that their crime-fighting strategy is not working.

At a news conference Monday, the two took turns defending a strategy that includes disbanding specialized tactical units and putting more beat cops on the street.

Emanuel said the practice of saturating high-crime areas for a short time with the specialized units was simply tamping down crime just until the units moved to another area.