* From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today directed the Illinois State Police to deploy 40 state troopers to join Chicago Police officers in patrolling four city neighborhoods. The action follows the city’s request for assistance and is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to ensure the safety of all people in every community across Illinois.
“The state of Illinois will do whatever is necessary to protect public safety – in Chicago and every community across Illinois,” Governor Quinn said. “Earlier this year I told Mayor Emanuel we would help in any way we could to combat violence in the city. When he requested assistance, I immediately agreed to help.”
At the Governor’s direction, the State Police will deploy troopers to areas coordinated with the Chicago Police Department (CPD). The State Police and CPD will set up 20 to 25 “surge” teams with five Chicago Police officers and two State Troopers on each team. The teams will focus on apprehending those with known violent criminal histories who are wanted by law enforcement. The troopers will come from State Police districts across the state. The assistance will be accommodated with current State Police resources.
State Police Colonel Michael Zerbonia will coordinate the effort. Zerbonia is chief of operations for the State Police and has more than 30 years of military service. He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1991 after three years as an air defense artillery officer, served in Iraq from June 2005 to June 2006 and was deputy brigade commander for the Polish 12th Mechanized Brigade in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was promoted to Brigadier General within the Illinois National Guard in February 2014 and currently serves as Illinois Army National Guard Land Forces Component Commander.
Forty isn’t a lot, but it’s better than nothing. At least the mayor has swallowed his pride on this one, but he has now opened the door to questions about the sufficiency of Chicago police staffing levels.
*** UPDATE *** The ISP’s top guy recently bemoaned current staffing levels…
The Illinois State Police graduated 37 state troopers today Friday, the last class the academy will graduate for a while. State police officials say they can’t train more due to the state’s budget. […]
State Police Director Hiram Grau says the state funding the agency was counting on didn’t come through.
“This class graduates today and I wish I had another class coming in after them, but … we’re going to have to operate with the manpower that we have,” he said. “We really do need some more bodies.”
For a while now, the state police has compensated short staffing by making overtime part of the regular schedule.
- Mason born - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:15 pm:
Probably should have done this a long time ago.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:20 pm:
It looks like something is happening with some qualified and experienced folks. Let’s hope it works well. Swallowing your pride shouldn’t be so hard with high profile murders; it’s called practicality.
- fed up - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:23 pm:
Yes the CPD are understaffed and this is a band aid. What is more worrisome is that the State Police are also very short staffed, I-57 from the Ryan to I-80 is like a scene from the Mad max movies at night. Some down state counties rely on the state police.
- Siriusly - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:25 pm:
You’re right of course, but that is the right question to ask. If there should be any question that favors Emanuel in the next election it should be “should we spend more on police?”
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:28 pm:
Say what? The police union has been screaming for more cops while Emanuel has maintained since day one the force level was sufficient.
Now he wants to brag about putting more cops on the street — on the state dime — rolling into the election?
Ugh, everything is spin and personal aggrandizement with this guy.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:30 pm:
Finally!
Rahm admits there is a problem and help is needed. Maybe this will help save a few lives.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:33 pm:
@fed up makes a good point. The State Police aren’t starting any more cadet classes due to budget cuts. The Director just said they are short staffed and will have to cope.
- Empty Suit - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:34 pm:
“The state of Illinois will do whatever is necessary to protect public safety” ..especially in an election year.
- Allen Skillicorn - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:43 pm:
If they have time to run radar on 355, they have time to patrol the streets in rough neighborhoods. It’s about priorities…
- mcb - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
especially in an election year in Chicago
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:45 pm:
fed up & Demoralized - that shifts my opinion a bit.
If the ISP is so short-staffed, I fear this may not be helping to “fix” the problem so much as “moving” the problem.
It reminds me of the children’s story about the Dutch boy plugging the leaks in a dam with his fingers. It briefly worked, but then new leaks rapidly developed.
The dam needs to be repaired, not temporarily plugged with fingers.
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:46 pm:
When parts of your city are so violent that some neighborhoods require a level of policing commonly associated with police states, you have already failed as a politician. And that includes not only Emmanuel but Quinn and all of the (Democratic, it’s Chicago) politicians who supposedly represent the residents of these neighborhoods.
Speaking of the residents, how do they feel about living in a police state, I wonder. Or has anyone asked.
- Einstein - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
The city of Chicago is not delivering the taxpayers a proper service by protecting citizens. Citizens need to stand up and demand that the department for the city hires more people because that department is totally gutted and undermanned. Until they hire people and form teams to respond to hot areas like they did 7 years ago nothing will change
They need officers to be aggressive and work within the law. Chicago is lawlessness. I had relatives in from Australia 3 weeks ago and they were in shock to see the brazenness of the cities youth running around Michigan Ave causing disturbances. They decided to leave Chicago 2 days early because of the bad taste they got while visiting.
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:52 pm:
The 40 assigned, where would they be absent this assignment? In other words, who is giving up police protection, if anyone, to make this happen?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 1:54 pm:
What Cassandra said.
Hear! Hear!
- Nieva - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:01 pm:
This comes down to what matters the most. When I worked for IDOT we always took care of urgent needs first. Danger to the public was the first priority. After that we mowed and made repairs that were needed. This should be the same for law enforcement. Human life has to be on the top of the list. Then you worry about traffic control and all the other “little” stuff. If it takes every trooper in the state the so be it. We will be just fine down state with local law handling our business.
- Mason born - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
It would seem to ma an arrangement should be reached with county sheriffs to increase patrolling of the interstates to cover the loss of the 40 bodies. That should help with that part.
- John A Logan - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:06 pm:
The state police are not understaffed. There are about 1000 too many of them. In fact the entire force could be sent to Chicago. Clean up that violent mess, then abolish the agency completely and assign the revenue to local law enforcement agencies.
- Gooner - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:10 pm:
I applaud this decision and suggest that they immediately transfer any ISP from looking for traffic violations on the Edens, Kennedy and Northwest Tollway and instead assign them to patrolling Chicago streets.
And I say that for the good of Chicago, and not in yet another attempt on my part to evade our repressive speeding laws.
It is for the good of the city!
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:11 pm:
Well, then we have about 10% of the total Trooper head count deployed to the State Fair to direct traffic, roust drunks out of the beer tents, and eat corn dogs.
- Cheswick - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
I can’t imagine any state troopers that would usually be assigned to the State Fair (starts tomorrow) will be getting this duty. But you never know.
- DuPage - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:16 pm:
The state police are a much smaller force then they were a few years ago, due to budget cutbacks. The tollway pays the state police that cover the tollway, so they seem to be out in full force on the tollways like 88,355,etc..
Forty extra police are not going to be near enough. What will they do next? Call in the National Guard? Usually that is only done in unplanned emergencies. Rahm knew or should have known he needs a lot more Chicago police officers.
- fed up - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:16 pm:
While I agree that Violent crime in Chicago needs to be addressed, If my family is killed by a drunk driver in Ford county because the state police are in Chicago thats not so good. If the truck driver that hasnt slept in 20 hours keeps going knowing no troopers are around and hits a school bus. Hard to say what each DUI arrest prevented or safety inspection of a semi truck, hopefully we dont have an example soon.
- Hon. John Fritchey - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:20 pm:
Cassandra,
When the city is arguably 1000 officers short on any given day, bringing in 40 outside law enforcement personnel (or 100 or 300) to assist is far from creating a police state.
For what it’s worth, a little over 4 years ago, Rep. LaShawn Ford + I suggested utilizing National Guardsmen to supplement CPD via additional eyes and boots on the ground.
The former Mayor scoffed, saying that everything was under control.
Many northsiders, safe in their own neighborhoods, derided the idea, saying that we’d be turning the south + west sides into police states.
Others denounced the idea saying that it would tarnish Chicago’s image. (I’m curious how they feel about that sentiment now.)
But literally every call and e-mail we received from people living in the affected areas welcomed the idea and the notion of having additional resources brought in to help reclaim their neighborhoods.
Sometimes how we view a problem depends on the lens through which we look at it.
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:31 pm:
Chicago has a sufficient number of police officers. The problem is not the number of officers.
“Cities’ police officer per capita rates vary depending on a range of factors, from crime rates to city budgets. In 2012, police departments serving cities with more than 50,000 residents employed an average of 17 officers per 10,000 residents.
“Cities with the greatest police presence include Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Chicago.
See: “The table … lists 2012 police officer per capita rates for all agencies serving at least 50,000 residents that reported data to the FBI.”
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/safety-justice/police-officers-per-capita-rates-employment-for-city-departments.html
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:32 pm:
–Speaking of the residents, how do they feel about living in a police state, I wonder. Or has anyone asked.–
Cassy, like me, you could take a walk east across Austin Blvd. and start asking folks about the police state. Maybe the dudes openly dealing Mexican Brown on the corner of Madison and Cicero could fill you in on the oppressive police presence there.
For those trying to spin this as an election-year stunt by Quinn, how does that work? The mayor of Chicago requested state help to protect public safety. Is there a possible answer other than “yes?”
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:36 pm:
==Chicago has a sufficient number of police officers. The problem is not the number of officers.==
And you conclude this how?
- DuPage - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:36 pm:
@John A Logan2:06=The state police are not understaffed. There are about 1000 too many of them.=
You are being sarcastic, aren’t you?
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:39 pm:
==You are being sarcastic, aren’t you?==
No, he’s not. It’s a sentiment he’s expressed before. He’s not a big fan of the state police from what I gather.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:40 pm:
It seems like a good idea, but then again either you are going to reduce patrols in other areas of the state, some areas that are lightly covered as it is due to distances and populations or you are just increasing the overtime load on the rest of the force….
How many troopers are there active at any given time?
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
yep, they probably need to hire more police. but what they should have done is build fewer buildings, lowered the number of districts, created a different command structure. sure building construction is a different pot of money, but building less, consolidating and coordinating differently is the game of survival in all of government. they did a bit of this in Chicago with detective districts and a few command districts, and oh the whining from the force. so while it may be true that they need to hire more officers, it’s painful to read Second City Cop.
more important, stay safe out there ISP and CPD street gals and guys. the shooting at law enforcement is more and more brazen with each day.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:43 pm:
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:31 pm:
So exactly what is the problem?
Since the civilian to sworn ration in Chicago seems low at 6.8% (a lot of cities seem to be at between 10% - 20%), are too many officers doing jobs that could be done by civilians?
Are too many officers in supervisory positions and not out on the street?
Or is it mismanagement, placing the existing resources in the wrong locations?
- TROOPER - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
- John A Logan - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:06 pm:
The state police are not understaffed. There are about 1000 too many of them. In fact the entire force could be sent to Chicago. Clean up that violent mess, then abolish the agency completely and assign the revenue to local law enforcement agencies.
Sir:
You are completely misinformed on this subject. as a State Trooper with 16 years of service we are no where near our needed manpower numbers. in fact we are 7 to 800 officers short of whats needed for our functions.
deploying Troops to Chicago where they have no idea about the milieu of the neighborhoods is not smart at all. You have to know the community you police and it takes months to years to learn.
The Mayor can solve this problem by not going to arbitration on every contract the police negotiate.CPD has been working without contracts off and on for years. How does that make sense to a cop, put my life on the line but……the city wants to go to arbitration. Secondly, more CHICAGO police are needed. Forget the stats that say more police don’t bring down crime. Try it and you will be surprised by the result!!!
Troopers are not municipal cops, our emphasis is highway patrol and other areas of law enforcement.
I will wait for your reply MR. “Logan”
- John Boch - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:51 pm:
Cassandra wrote: “When parts of your city are so violent that some neighborhoods require a level of policing commonly associated with police states, you have already failed as a politician. And that includes not only Emmanuel but Quinn and all of the (Democratic, it’s Chicago) politicians who supposedly represent the residents of these neighborhoods.”
Well said.
And she continued: “Speaking of the residents, how do they feel about living in a police state, I wonder. Or has anyone asked.”
The “No Snitch” mantra is alive and well in the inner city. The cops are seen as the enemy, not the gang bangers slinging dope and running every known vice on the streets outside.
Until and unless the good people in the inner city decide to put their foot down on the violent scumbags and ally themselves with good cops trying to put bad guys away, nothing much is going to change.
John
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:51 pm:
Well, maybe Chicago police will be freed up to arrest more young minority guys for smoking pot. Get a file started on them so they can never get a legitimate job and are forced permanently into a life on the run, on the margins of the jobs market, including, of course…selling drugs retail.
The notion of a benign police state is absurd. Everybody pays, but the residents of heavily policed neighborhoods pay more–a lot more.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:53 pm:
@Cassandra:
Do you live in any of these neighborhoods? Because if you don’t I don’t think your opinion hold a lot of weight.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:00 pm:
To the update: so they are basically taking a population the size of ==the last class the academy will graduate for a while== +3, and sending them up to Chicago?
I do worry about the comments made by TROOPER in terms of ISP training and experience not necessarily emphasizing a focus on the same details as CPD training and experience.
Patrolling highways are not the same as patrolling particularly violent neighborhoods in a densely populated area.
Be safe.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:01 pm:
“If they have time to run radar on 355, they have time to patrol the streets in rough neighborhoods. It’s about priorities…”
Those are District 15 troopers that the Tollway Authority pays for by contract with ISP. Because of contract staffing commitments they won’t be moved.
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:04 pm:
RNUG - @ 2:43 pm:
The data indicates that Chicago had 44.1 officers per 10K population, third highest in the nation. Oak Park, just across Austin Avenue on the west side, had 21.3 officers per 10K.
It’s too easy to blame the number of officers when we already have the third highest number per capita in the nation.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:12 pm:
“Those are District 15 troopers that the Tollway Authority pays for by contract with ISP. Because of contract staffing commitments they won’t be moved.”
A lot of ISP on contract with the Illinois Gaming Board watching the Casinos and Video Gaming. They won’t be moved, Either.
- Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:14 pm:
40 additional officers seems like more show than go. Probably means 10 -15 officers on duty, kind of small when you. When you consider the troopers don’t know the areas… I’m more concerned about the officers safety.
I think it is more of a ‘look what I am doing for you ‘ act than a real step toward increased safety.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:21 pm:
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:04 pm:
But what is your point? Why are the supposedly high number of officers not getting the job done?
- Mason born - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
TROOPER
I am curious your take on the whole surge team idea. Where they are partenering ISP with CPD. I agree with you on putting ISP on the beat. It would seem backing up CPD could be beneficial and in their wheel house.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
“I had relatives in from Australia 3 weeks ago and they were in shock to see the brazenness of the cities youth running around Michigan Ave causing disturbances. They decided to leave Chicago 2 days early because of the bad taste they got while visiting.”
It’s weird, the more apocryphal a story sounds, the less familiar the username (Einstein)…
- Truthteller - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:44 pm:
How many Chicago cops are behind desks? Shouldn’t they be replaced by civilians and assigned to the streets?
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:46 pm:
Emanuel is taking the community pulse with the wrong finger when he opts for a military-sounding “surge” of (as Fritchey put it) “boots” belonging to non-Chicagoans as a response to city resident demands for adequate, equal, and accountable police protection.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:50 pm:
But in Emanuel’s defense, his request to Gov. Quinn is one of his cleverest. Usually he’s even more hamfisted about trying to make not doing his job look like someone else’s problem to solve.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:00 pm:
- RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:43 pm:
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 2:31 pm:
So exactly what is the problem?
Since the civilian to sworn ration in Chicago seems low at 6.8% (a lot of cities seem to be at between 10% - 20%), are too many officers doing jobs that could be done by civilians?
Are too many officers in supervisory positions and not out on the street?
Or is it mismanagement, placing the existing resources in the wrong locations?
*************
SAY, POP, THESE SURE LOOK LIKE SUPER-DUPER QUESTIONS TO ASK THE MAYOR AND HIS CHIEF!
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:05 pm:
But I guess instead of being pressed for management details about the city he manages, he’ll probably just get more media followups like “can you tell us more about how citizen moral decline is ultimately responsible for city violence?” or “should we stick with surge, or upgrade to shock and awe, napalm, and/or daisy cutter? Boots on ground!”
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:06 pm:
RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:21 pm:
“Why are the supposedly high number of officers not getting the job done?”
They are not a “supposedly high number of officers”, they are by comparison absolutely a high number of officers. I agree with CBH, I think your question would be appropriately asked by the Mayor and by all of the fifty aldermen.
- Generation X - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:10 pm:
This move appears purely for the press pop. I’m skeptical that these 40 officers who are likely unfamiliar with the areas they will searching will have much impact. Yes CPD should share intel etc but sometimes law enforcement agencies are loathe to share information.
Best case scenario you get a temporary drop in violence and these officers go back to normal assignments and then what?
Back to the normal standard of violence?
- TROOPER - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:21 pm:
Mason born - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
A surge is like giving a whale a tic-tac. You dress the windows for a few months and the State Police are going to leave. Our Director tried to say that in the most Politically correct way. If we are not given a permanent task force to work with CPD with THE FUNDING to run it, it is a waste. The ISP is ready and willing to do anything,but sometimes politics get in the way of good policing.
Maybe the City, State,Feds could put together a task force of say 150 to put in various hotspots,combine resources and put down all this violence. Until a true commitment is made don’t get your hopes up. The ISP will be gone Before the winter begins. Mark my words!!!
- OldSmoky2 - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:26 pm:
Using numbers from more than two years ago to argue that the city doesn’t need to hire more police is very misleading. My district alone in Chicago has 26 percent fewer police officers than it had two years ago. The mayor has tried to cut costs the past three years by allowing positions to go unfilled when people retire. Then when crime surges on a hot weekend they try to respond by requiring mandatory overtime from the officers who are left. On many weekends it’s well documented that some districts spend hours at a time on Radio Assignment Pending status, which means 911 calls just stack up with no police response because there are no cars to respond to them. Comm. Fritchey is right when he says the city’s police force is likely down some 1,000 officers from recommended staffing levels. And 40 state troopers won’t fix that.
- walker - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:31 pm:
I trust Fritchey and Ford on this. My son lives on the south side, and my guess, having talked to more than a few, is that his neighbors want both more police presence, and more professional and locally-knowledgable officers. To say the proposals are like creating a “police state” would be heard as coming from Mars.
So “ask them” is the best comment, if you’re unsure.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:41 pm:
TROOPER, thank you for your insightful comments and for your service.
I think I speak for the majority of the commenters here when I say that we support and respect our State Police, even though we may scratch our heads at some management decisions.
- Mason born - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 4:48 pm:
Trooper
I get you and i will be surprised if they are still there November 5th.
Thanks for the response have a good tour.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 5:16 pm:
What happens after the surge of Law Enforcement is finished and the levels return to where they are now? This is a temporary fix to to a long term problem. In military operations a surge serves two important functions, first it brings more force to the battlefield and second some of the forces train locals to handle things when we leave. That is at least how it is supposed to happen. But artificial time tables and lack of political will generally negate the purpose.
A surge of Law Enforcement may bring the crime rate down in the short turn. When they leave crime will return to pre surge levels. I don’t believe the local population will be trained to combat crime when the Officers are gone. So what’s the point of this exercise? Is it politicians wanting to look they are doing something about the problem? Do they believe long term results will actually work?
For anyone here who does live in one of these areas, what do you think the long term solution is to the violence?
- RonOglesby - Now in TX - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 6:14 pm:
If the mayor needs more police, maybe he should hire more CPD. we have heard for years that the CPD is fully manned, yet reading blogs like Second City Cop and watching their math on retirements vs new hires…. there is no way they have kept up for almost a decade (and it started under Daley, its not just Rahm’s fault).
- flea - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 6:33 pm:
Lot’s of troopers needed at the State Fair because of all the horrific activity that goes on in Springfield.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 6:47 pm:
CPD needs help from the citizens more than the ISP. Last I knew CPD’s crystal ball was out for repair and there’s no money in the budget to repair it.
- Colossus - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 8:22 pm:
‘crazybleedingheart: Emanuel is taking the community pulse with the wrong finger when he opts…’
Cut the guy a break, he’s only got so many to choose from.
(seriously, no one’s gonna make this joke?)
I like the cut of your jib, cbh, stick around.
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 8:25 pm:
Fabulous…terrific–now go get ‘em/round ‘em UP, Boys…! Oh, and by the way, “A” Grade on this move by the QuinnMeister– makes him appear authoritative, resolute, and most importantly shows him publicly asserting that in Illinois, espECially in certain parts of the War-Torn Big City we call our Own, folks’ SAFEty comes before all else…!!
- seatbelts - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 9:31 pm:
Detail half the ISP for six months then the other half for six months. Everybody does a turn in Chicago. We are now paying the majority of the ISP over $100,000 a year to write seat belt, speeding and cell phone tickets.They are called ILLINOIS STATE POLICE. They can all help out in Chicago. Sending 40 for a few months is a joke. Detail half the force and make difference. Even if they just walk the streets it may save many lives in Chicago
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 9:41 pm:
Instead on one man PD cars, you now have two man cars at the CPD. Big deal, gang bangers don’t care.
Democratic politics at its best. We care so we will do anything even if it results with nothing.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 9:49 pm:
Troopers are not going to change any thing .Rahm, talk to the people in the Hood. The gangs rule. 40 more cop mean nothing. Drugs = money=gangs. Simple equation.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 9:55 pm:
Since we are talking ISP someone should question deployment. There are a lot of desk jockeys there.
Trooper? any comment?
- Shemp - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 10:07 pm:
So since Chicago is exporting some of its best citizens to those of us downstate, can we also request state troopers to target these repeat criminals in our localities?
- MyTwoCents - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 10:12 pm:
@Seatbelts, we also pay the ISP to process crime scenes, investigate major crimes (assisting agencies that don’t have the manpower for homicides and other investigations), conduct air operations Statewide, do Medicaid fraud investigations, and a variety of other tasks that are more than just patrolling the highways. There’s a reason it’s the State Police and not the Illinois Highway Patrol.
- What? - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 10:34 pm:
- seatbelts - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 9:31 pm:
Detail half the ISP for six months then the other half for six months. Everybody does a turn in Chicago. We are now paying the majority of the ISP over $100,000 a year to write seat belt, speeding and cell phone tickets.They are called ILLINOIS STATE POLICE. They can all help out in Chicago. Sending 40 for a few months is a joke. Detail half the force and make difference. Even if they just walk the streets it may save many lives in Chicago
====================================
Most Troops who are doing those horrible things, such as making sure people driving on state highways do so safely, make make well under $100k.
http://databases.sj-r.com/salaries/state-of-il/100k-club/department/department-of-state-police/
- What? - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 10:40 pm:
Oh, and a contributing factor in why some troops have a higher than base salary is because ISP is running a lot of overtime currently. Why? They have approximately 1,750 troops, when they need 2,200 to be considered fully staffed. ISP really needs to get cadet classes rolling ASAP.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140528/news/140528315/
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 10:49 pm:
Gangbanger: Who invited Smokey the Bear to the party?
Lets dance.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 6, 14 @ 11:07 pm:
Police present means that the bad guys only move down the line. Bad guys can wait it out. ISP can’t. Taxpayer dollars at work. Waste of time.
The problem is social (family, neighbors)Lack of opportunity and jobs (its the economy stupid). The drug economy fuel the gangs. The pay is good but life can be short. Clue: you have to start with the kids. What are the Option? Join and gang or ?
- Trooper Too - Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 9:52 am:
Here we go again. This same ISP deployment tactic was tried before under Blago. It didn’t make a difference then and won’t make a difference now. A few years ago ISP District 15 implemented a cross training program in the south suburbs. One day while assisting in Dolton, a couple of the troopers encountered an armed robbery in progress. One of the troopers shot one of the armed thugs and likely saved the life of the other trooper. Next thing that happened was all ISP District 15 Troopers were immediately pulled from the detail/training. Apparently it was all good until real police work had to be performed. I wouldn’t expect much from the ISP assistance in Chicago and it may actually hinder CPD instead of helping. The ISP is not prepared for this type of work and CPD will need to do a lot of hand holding. And for those expressing love for the ISP all I can say is it is a good agency with layers and layers of management. Most personnel desire to perform as little time possible as a road trooper and instead aspire to perform investigative and/or administrative duties of which there are many positions.