* The Chicago Tribune covered a Republican gubernatorial candidate forum in Tazewell County…
Chicago recorded 416 killings in 2025 — the city’s lowest homicide total in more than a decade — while shootings, defined as incidents in which at least one person was killed or wounded, fell by about one-third compared with 2019, according to department data. […]
“I don’t think crime has gone down,” said Heidner, a real estate and onetime-embattled video gambling operator from Barrington Hills. “People aren’t safe. They’re not safe. They’re getting killed. They’re getting robbed. They’re getting raped.”
“Liars use numbers. Crime has not come down,” said Mendrick, the DuPage County sheriff, who contends the method of calculating crime statistics has changed and that “gangbangers don’t call the police on each other, so none of those are being reported.” He adds that “medical technology” is saving the lives of drug victims, reducing drug-related crime statistics.
Dabrowski, a conservative activist from Wilmette who has made a career offering his opinions based on data, said that “after so many years of so much crime, a lot of people don’t report crimes anymore. … Massive numbers of crimes aren’t reported anymore because the police (don’t) come.”
(Headline derived from this.)
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:43 am:
- Liars use numbers. -
What an amazing statement. We’re going to reach Idiocracy far faster than the movie predicted.
- H-W - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:46 am:
=== video gambling operator from Barrington Hills. People aren’t safe. ===
Well, he’s not wrong about that. /s
- @misterjayem - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:46 am:
Barely a dog-whistle.
They could have simply said “We agree that there is still a scary number of Black and brown Chicagoans” and saved everyone a lot of time.
– MrJM
- In 630 - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:51 am:
“Liars use numbers” is a truly bananas statement.
Also, is Mendrick implying that narcan facing people is bad?
- JS Mill - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:52 am:
=“Liars use numbers. Crime has not come down,” said Mendrick=
I get the feeling he knows a lot about liars from personal experience as a liar.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:54 am:
They could easily argue that 416 murders are way too many. Instead they say the numbers are not valid.
- Norseman - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 9:59 am:
I’ll let others rant about the lies. I just want to compliment Rich on the Headline selection. “Chef’s Kiss,” as a frequent commenter likes to say.
- the weatherman - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:06 am:
liars use numbers? this is the kind of nonsense these people use to cause people to not trust what they see with their own eyes. it also continues to erode the public’s trust in science, which explains the return of previously eradicated diseases.
- zer0 - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:09 am:
==“gangbangers don’t call the police on each other, so none of those are being reported.”==
Yeah, but if one of them is shot or killed, the cops still find out. Unless, of course, we are vastly under estimating the logistical prowess of Chicagoland gangs and they actually have their own network of hospitals and cemeteries…
- Incandenza - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:18 am:
== Liars use numbers. ==
Anti-intellectualism at its finest. While numbers can be manipulated, they are a better guide than no numbers at all. This is cave man thinking.
- JoanP - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:32 am:
a/k/a “My mind’s made up; don’t bother me with the facts.”
- ArchPundit - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:42 am:
A guy running video gambling machines has an incentive to discourage people understanding numbers.
- Demoralized - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:42 am:
==He adds that “medical technology” is saving the lives of drug victims, reducing drug-related crime statistics.==
So let me get this straight. He’s saying the stats are lying because too many victims are surviving? I just can’t with these people.
- low level - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:42 am:
== This is cave man thinking.==
Yes but we shouldn’t insult cave men like that…
- Casper the Ghost Bus - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:43 am:
“We have decreased the percentage for heroin recidivism from 90% to 18%, and criminality recidivism from 70% to 15%.” — Mendrik, 2022 (https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/exclusive-interview-sheriff-mendrick)
“Liars use numbers. Crime has not come down,” said Mendrick, the DuPage County sheriff, 2026
- Bears Fan - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:47 am:
It’s OK for Republicans to give Eileen O’Neill Burke credit for the amazing job she has done
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:49 am:
“after so many years of so much crime, a lot of people don’t report crimes anymore”
Now it’s just pure lying, not even trying to spin facts. Republicans think the worst of certain populations at all times and try to exploit them politically, even when crime decreases significantly. Even when it means superminority status. They won’t stop. It’s called racism.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:50 am:
Whoever wins the pyrrhic in March really ain’t gonna like the numbers Pritzker hands him come November.
- Jocko - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:56 am:
Someone needs to take a page from ‘Office Space’ and ask DGIC (Doom Grifter in Chief) James Mendrick, “What would you say you do here?”.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 10:57 am:
A video-gambling operator from Barrington Hills comments on crime. What.
Such an anomaly.
- Roadrager - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:15 am:
I think I need to call my county sheriff and ask for a friendly once-over of the local crime statistics. Then I can tell him what he told the people of Tazewell County, a place he apparently thought prohibited internet and journalism.
- Illiana - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:23 am:
I’m a little surprised that none of them tried to give Trump credit for reduced numbers. Big missed opportunity there. /s
- Roadrager - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:25 am:
Also, heck of a quote by Dombrowski, saying that people don’t bother reporting crimes because they know the police won’t do anything to solve them. There’s a kernel of truth in there, but Ted Daborsky sure wouldn’t be able to find it on his own.
- Pundent - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:31 am:
Personally I’m fine with these candidates denying reality and continuing to lose elections. When the ILGOP decides to form a relationship with the truth I’ll start paying attention to them again.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:42 am:
“Liars use numbers”
Totally dude. https://youtu.be/a9jWco4xw-U?si=z3Ft1aQY9b2ljg3B
- charles in charge - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:50 am:
==It’s OK for Republicans to give Eileen O’Neill Burke credit for the amazing job she has done==
What has EOB done that you would describe as “amazing”? Crime is down everywhere which is great, but it was declining before she took office. Why do you think she specifically deserves credit?
- Strategy Geek - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 11:51 am:
Well said, ArchPundit & Flyin’ Elvis. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence was a great movie. The original Manchurian Candidate also came out in ‘62 and turns out to be very prescient for these times.
- This is ridiculous - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 12:13 pm:
Lots of good comments here, but Excitable Boy takes the award. If you haven’t seen Idiocracy, turn on your television.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 12:14 pm:
Since Darren Bailey was on the panel with the other candidates, did he share his comments on crime in Chicago.
During his last race for governor, he called Chicago a hellhole.
What happened to that rhetoric?
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 12:24 pm:
Ted’s right. I’ve given up on reporting the last seven or eight times I was murdered.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 12:25 pm:
==“medical technology” is saving the lives of drug victims, reducing drug-related crime statistics==
The DuPage sheriff, who loves to give tours about his supposed “innovative treatment” jail programs
Is saying here that he regrets that he can’t arrest people for a (dubious) crime (drug-induced homicide) because people don’t die
So it doesn’t happen now,
So crime has gone down,
But “it” (not it) is happening anyway,
So crime has not gone down
With logic like this, you begin to wonder about the lock on the evidence room
- Google is Your Friend - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 12:39 pm:
“Liars use numbers”
Does the same apply for the profit and loss statements at Heidner’s businesses?
- btowntruthfromforgottonia - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:26 pm:
Excitable:
“We’re going to reach Idiocracy..”
Judging from things lately we are already there.
- Politix - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
Which is it, the numbers are fake or people aren’t reporting them?
- Annon'in - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:45 pm:
It seems like a very fundamental question is when was the last time and/or any time this Clown Car Ensemble spent time in Chicago walkin’? around and where. How about ridin’ the CTA? Guessin’ those moments are few.
- here we go again - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:50 pm:
This is a bit off point but I hope you’ll indulge me. I have it on good authority that at a “conservative summit” a couple of weeks ago hosted by Dave Smith of the Illinois Family Institute (only around 25 of the most holier-than-thou were reportedly invited), Darren Bailey made a big point of telling the group he was pro-life with NO exceptions, not even for rape or incest. Made a point of saying he checked the Bible for exceptions, but found none. I knew of course Bailey was pro-life, and I consider myself pro-life. But I had no idea Bailey was no exceptions. I hope someone asks Bailey about this before it’s too late. And is Aaron Del Mar onboard with that position? We can all easily imagine the Pritzker ad. Because if there is one thing even pro-life women don’t enjoy, it’s being told by a pudgy middle-aged farmer from the boondocks that they are a bad person if they don’t want to carry a rapist’s baby to term. Just my guess. Thank you Illinois journos for your attention to this matter.
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:50 pm:
2+2…still 4?
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 1:53 pm:
The sinister tools of math,science and critical thought…beware?
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 2:06 pm:
Idiocracy wasn’t a warning, it was a preciction.
We don’t need no stinking numbers?
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/fear-motivator-elections
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 2:18 pm:
Mendrick seems to have a handle on lying…I believe.
- JS Mill - Monday, Feb 2, 26 @ 2:40 pm:
=Which is it, the numbers are fake or people aren’t reporting them?=
Gotta hedge your bets sometimes doncha know.