Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Somebody needs to pick up the darned phone

Posted in:

Illinois

* My jaw dropped when I read this quote from Sheriff Tom Dart the other day in Crain’s…

Since late May, Dart says his office has been sending as many as 150 uniformed personnel a day into high-crime city neighborhoods, concentrating on the 11th and 15th districts on the West Side and the 7th District on the South Side. A fair amount of the routine stuff is involved, but the bigger idea is to create “a heightened police presence,” Dart says.

The office made a similar effort the past two years, Dart says, for instance seizing 112 guns, making 522 arrests and doing 862 home-monitoring checks last year. Last summer’s effort ran six weeks and involved no more than 100 officers at a time. But, the sheriff told me, “This sort of concerted operation is different. It’s the kind of thing we do in Harvey,” a south suburb known for high crime and little ability to do anything about it. Street patrols “absolutely” are part of what his folks are doing, Dart says.

Did the sheriff first vet his idea with Mayor Rahm Emanuel or CPD Superintendent Garry McCarthy?

“We probably haven’t spoken for four years,” Dart answered, referring to Emanuel, who he seriously considered running against for mayor in 2011. And he and McCarthy don’t talk much either. So, “We run the numbers and then call the (CPD district) commander in the area, and my commander meets with him. . . . The whole intention is suppressing crime.”

* The Sun-Times editorial board was equally floored…

Cook County’s top law enforcement official and Chicago’s powerful mayor, though they both likely wake up every morning and ask themselves what can be done to curb gun violence, haven’t talked about it in years. […]

Chicago needs the help. Just Tuesday afternoon, a man was shot and critically wounded in South Shore, near where after another person was shot and killed Tuesday morning and near where one teen was shot and killed and another teen was seriously wounded Monday. Over the Fourth of July weekend, shootings left 10 dead and 53 injured.

But if our elected leaders are serious about ending the bloodshed, it might help if they worked together, closely and for real.

Gun runners don’t stop at municipal and county boundaries. Neither should county sheriffs and mayors.

This is just a ridiculously stupid situation. The city should be doing everything it can to work with Dart. Stop with the turf wars and the political grudges, already.

Sheesh.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:13 am

Comments

I just assumed there was constant coordination at the highest levels among CPD, the sheriff and the federales when it came to high-crime, high gun violence areas.

Silly me.

My guess is as long as you let Emamuel take credit for it in front of the cameras, you can probably accomplish positive things.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:22 am
Petty.. But expected

Comment by Wow Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:25 am
We in Cook County are so fortunate to have Tom Dart as our sheriff. He was great as my state rep. and he’s great now as my sheriff. Dart does the right thing and puts the welfare of the community above politics. I wish we had more folks like him in charge!

Comment by Former Hoosier Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:32 am
I would like to say I’m surprised by the pettiness of this…but I’m not.

Comment by thunderspirit Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:39 am
Doesn’t help with crime, having Cook County declaring it is a sanctuary area for illegals!

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:42 am
And did anyone ask him “Why?”

Comment by D.P.Gumby Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:42 am
==Doesn’t help with crime, having Cook County declaring it is a sanctuary area for illegals!==

I didn’t know Donald Trump read this blog.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:44 am
After cpd, the state police and sheriff have the biggest departments. All three can easily go into Chicago and park on every corner for as long as it takes. Rahm needs to ask and they need to give. Chicago’s murder rate is third world.

Comment by Sos Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:47 am
Dart and Rahm are both politicians in the same party. Dart may run for another office someday and could use support from Rahm. Even if this is not official or coordinated, Rahm might remember Dart helping him out in this time when CPD is being overwhelmed.

Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:48 am
Hilariously incompetent. I know we all don’t like it when politicians lie, but geez Tom, you should have lied and said you are working with the mayor.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:51 am
==My guess is as long as you let Emamuel take credit for it in front of the cameras, you can probably accomplish positive things.==
I’m guessing that too. On the bright side, Dart seems to be doing the right thing, working with local commanders, who likely appreciate the help. There’s a decent chance that Rahm/McCarthy would just get in the way of the local commanders anyway.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:52 am
Dart loves PR as much as the Governor. Puppies and Press for Dart. Why would Dart bring this to the press?

Comment by Looking from outside Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:53 am
If the commanders at both policing agencies are communicating and coordinating, this is probably working as efficiently as it can in the field.

Who cares if the Mayor is personally involved? That might be more a distraction than a benefit for the people who do the actual work.

Likely better if the Sherriff and Police Commissioner stayed more in touch though.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:53 am
To paraphrase Wordslinger from after the runoff, humble Rahm, you won’t see him no more.

The sweater costume he put on, Dart wears every day. Sincerely.

I understand why Rahm is afraid to cooperate with him.

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:55 am
Something tells me that McCarthy will bear the brunt of this one. The fact that Dart’s office is going directly to the commanders to make this happen is more telling than anything.

Comment by pundent Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:59 am
I highly doubt Rahm spends much of his time worrying about curbing gun violence, seems much of his time is spent shafting CPS & turning over closed schools to his charter school pals.

Comment by greenie Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:04 am
– Chicago’s murder rate is third world.–

No, it’s not, it’s about middle of the pack in the United States.

But some neighborhoods are absolutely terrorized by gun violence.

My fear is as long as the terror remains in “those” areas, proper resources will never be brought to bear.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:04 am
boyzz, boyzz, boyzz.

you are both doing good work. both. start talking. everybody stop posing.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:06 am
no reason for the Mayor to communicate with the Sheriff other than to save lives and reduce the violence in the City. Better to push the Sheriff in the background than stop the violence.

Too bad the TV cameras can’t publicize cooperation and communication amongst local government leaders.

Comment by northshore cynic Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:06 am
Maybe, just maybe, the mere suggestion that they should share a phone call or better yet, have lunch together might just cause it to happen. They don’t call the media the 4th Estate for nothing.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:08 am
Ego over innocent kids being shot in the streets.

This sounds like an episode from The Wire.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:41 am
= Chicago’s murder rate is third world.–

No, it’s not, it’s about middle of the pack in the United States.

But some neighborhoods are absolutely terrorized by gun violence.

My fear is as long as the terror remains in “those” areas, proper resources will never be brought to bear. =
Translation- As long as the white liberal voters along the lake front and downtown are not being hurt directly, little will be done.

Comment by Apocalypse Now Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 11:56 am
Who’s to say that Dart actually is doing Rahm a favor by making McCarthy look bad, greasing the skids for Rahm to sack McCarthy this year?

Comment by Lee Dixon=Arsenal legend Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 12:02 pm
When I voted for Rahm his first run I did it because I thought he’d be a tough but creative leader. Instead he’s proven to be petty, sensitive, and devoid of any ideas on how to improve the city.

More evidence that finance industry types don’t know a thing about management or leadership.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 12:31 pm
SOS, get real. The isp certainly doesn’t have the bodies to do that. Many districts with 2 officers for 7 counties. All while dealing with calls for service and arrests.

Comment by Trooper Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 12:37 pm
There were no shootings in Englewood over the holiday weekend.

It’s a start.

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 12:57 pm
== Cook County’s top law enforcement official and Chicago’s powerful mayor, though they both likely wake up every morning and ask themselves what can be done to curb gun violence…==

I don’t know about Dart, but I would bet Rahm wakes up each morning and thinks “What can I do for me today”

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 1:13 pm
- Sos - Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 10:47 am:

It’s actually not “third world” at all. Just saying things doesn’t make them true.

Re: Tom Dart, he’s worked very hard to bring attention to the south suburbs and he’s done a great job bringing solutions to some issues in towns like Harvey, Robbins, and Ford Heights. He can’t do it alone, but it’s a start and I’d love to see what he could do as governor.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 1:17 pm
Truthfully, I’m not sure I remember Cook Co. Sheriff’s and Mayors breaking a lot of bread together. Not talk in 4 years?? Yeah, that’s super odd. But the power bases are distinct and different.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 1:19 pm
AN, no need to “translate” what I wrote. It was clear.

If you have a point to make, make it yourself.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 1:30 pm
I stand corrected, chicago’s murder rate just seems third world. There are many neighborhoods where it looks, feels, sounds third world, and crime is a big part of the problem.
Trooper-I’m not doubting your manpower issues merely stating after cpd you’re the next largest department. How many people where shot in the 7 counties last weekend?
Anyone get shot in unincorporated cook?

Comment by Sos Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 3:01 pm
Not to give Rahm a pass, but doesn’t Dart have their numbers too? I care more that the guys/gals at the commander level are talking and coordinating than the politicians. It would halp if McCarthy and Dart talked.

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 3:07 pm
My first thought is “Are those commanders who are coordinating with the sheriff going to get an earful from McCarthy?”

Comment by Logic not emotion Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 3:40 pm
Shameful.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 3:54 pm
As to point, they should absolutely pick up the phone and coordinate on a larger scale. I’m sure they could get each other’s numbers. If they were as committed to addressing the violence issue as they are to the political issues, they would do so.

Comment by Logic not emotion Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 4:00 pm
Obviously, the people commenting on this story are not from Chicago and have no idea how big of a buffoon Sheriff Dart is. When he took office the Cook County Jail had over 13,000 inmates. Dart has done everything he can to empty his jail including lobbying Judges to give hardcore criminals lower bonds. The jail has under 7500 inmates and is at the historic lows in Chicago. Just this week a 7 year old was killed and his father was the intended target. His father had 45 arrests, including 21 felonies in his background. Dart gave his father boot camp in 2011 after his 14th felony arrest. I am no fan of Emanuel but like I’ll reiterate you don’t know Sheriff ‘TV’ Tommy Dart..

Comment by John Beavers Wednesday, Jul 8, 15 @ 7:47 pm
How do they keep finding all these guns? Doesn’t Chicago have the strictest laws in the nation? I’m confused.

Comment by Old Man Thursday, Jul 9, 15 @ 7:41 pm