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Another day, another demand for using the Illinois National Guard

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Illinois

Stunt drivers and spectators flooded Chicago streets for a second straight weekend night, disturbing residents, attacking cops and damaging police cars during some of the unsanctioned events that allegedly drew participants from across the country.

Chicago police officials couldn’t immediately provide details about the latest round of so-called street takeovers early Sunday. But in a statement, the department said some officers “were assaulted with bricks and bottles.” […]

A mayoral candidate and vocal critic of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Lopez claimed she and Chicago Police Supt. David Brown are “failing completely” in addressing the street takeovers and have effectively allowed participants to target officers and destroy police vehicles “without consequence.”

Lopez said members of the National Guard should be called in to cover for officers being pulled away from places like “the Bean” and the Magnificent Mile to respond to the drag racing events.“They can do the babysitting there,” he said of the National Guard.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 1:29 pm

Comments

I feel bad for the residents of the 15th Ward any time Ray Lopez opens his mouth and/or Twitter account.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 1:38 pm
The national guard idea is almost always lunacy. But having walked for legislative candidates before the primary, I heard it come up frequently at the doors. Bad policy, good politics.

Comment by Telly Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 1:38 pm
I’m so sick of hearing this idea.

Comment by Benjamin Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 1:44 pm
Never work. I think they should just cut to the chase. Bring in Special Forces. And during Air and water show Navy Seals /s

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 1:49 pm
This is dumb. CPD should just actively enforce their new ordinance, impound the vehicles aggressively and arrest the drivers.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:01 pm
As somebody said, good politics but bad policy. The stunts and gimmicks are just getting started. The difference between Lightfoot and Lopez is that she knows better, but that doesn’t stop her from telling half-truths and outright lies. But on this one, even Lopez knows this is a non-starter and is to shameless to refrain from pushing it.

Comment by Showpez Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:11 pm
I’ve never understood why having more people working on public safety is a bad thing.

Illinois State Policy. National Guard. Cook County Sheriffs. Lots of social workers. Who cares what level of government they work for? Clearly we need more help.

Why would that be a bad thing? If the National Guard should be doing midnight basketball instead of patrolling with guns, great.

But if municipal police are over-worked and there aren’t enough officers to help when things go wrong, then we should be able to use our government personnel to help. At all levels of government.

I’ve assumed it’s a CPD turf thing, but if there’s a legit policy reason why it’s bad to deploy more resources to violence prevention and law enforcement generally, I’d appreciate learning what it is.

Comment by Dan Johnson Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:13 pm
Why can’t the organizer of this thing and the city work something out where a street can be closed to accommodate? The kids are occupied, the danger comes from the illegal use of the street, the cops could keep a safe perimeter, and keep stray cars and pedestrians away as well as be on hand to call 911 if an accident occurs.

This just seems like it can be used like the midnight basketball leagues. A way to give people something to do that doesn’t imperil their future.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:14 pm
cermak, if the city gets involved in accommodating this activity then they are accepting the liability that goes along with it. I agree with Ron that the vehicles are impounded and sold just like the DEA did with vehicles in the drug trade and of course arrest the drivers. They need to learn the meaning of “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”

Comment by former southerner Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:20 pm
===Why can’t the organizer of this thing and the city work something out where a street can be closed to accommodate? The kids are occupied, the danger comes from the illegal use of the street, the cops could keep a safe perimeter, and keep stray cars and pedestrians away as well as be on hand to call 911 if an accident occurs.

This just seems like it can be used like the midnight basketball leagues. A way to give people something to do that doesn’t imperil their future.===

What could possibly go wrong? /snark

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:20 pm
Has anyone considered the idea to set up a drift track in the soldier field, united center, or guaranteed rate parking lots? Provide an area that is off the streets that can be controlled by the cops and doesn’t obstruct traffic.

To the post, calling out the guard for this is dumb.

Comment by Huh? Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:24 pm
Cermak. Sounds like a great idea. Why don’t you organize this in your neighborhood. Let us hear how it goes with some thought provoking evidence based results.

Comment by Blue Dog Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:25 pm
=== Why can’t the organizer of this thing and the city work something out where a street can be closed to accommodate? ===

You can’t be serious.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:41 pm
===legit policy reason why it’s bad to deploy more resources to violence prevention and law enforcement generally===

The National Guard just isn’t trained for that mission, for one.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:43 pm
=== Has anyone considered the idea to set up a drift track in the soldier field, united center, or guaranteed rate parking lots? ===

Why would you want to sanction this type of behavior? It is extremely dangerous. Can you imagine the liability the City would face in the event that someone dies at one of these “controlled” events?

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:44 pm
Is it time to roll out snowplows to block access?

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:46 pm
==Is it time to roll out snowplows to block access?==

No, no, first you have to lift all the bridges.

Comment by Roadrager Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:47 pm
While we’re at it. Lots of illegal gun usage on your typical Friday and Saturday night. Anyone for setting up an organized shooting range in their neighborhood?

Comment by Blue Dog Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:48 pm
“Why can’t the organizer of this thing and the city work something out where a street can be closed to accommodate?”
You must not be familiar with how this works. These guys come in from outside the city and coordinate via social media and then the group is large enough to create a perimeter to do this “performance” late night/early morning. These things are loud and dangerous and sometimes they perform with a ring of fire. All they want to do is be a nuisance and then leave the city to whichever suburb they’re from. They attack police because they know they won’t do anything and David Brown is usually out of town.

Comment by Jose Abreu's Next Homer Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 2:49 pm
-Why can’t the organizer of this thing and the city work something out where a street can be closed to accommodate? The kids are occupied,-

These are adults, acting dangerously on city streets, because that’s the point. They could go somewhere “safer” any time, but they don’t want to. They want to put on a show and challenge authority.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:13 pm
It’s true that I had not considered the liability issues. Anyway the city can make that a play at your own risk thing, they must have something like that for Skate on State (they’re surely not on the hook for every klutz who brings skates).

Blue Dog, this group likes to move around from neighborhood to neighborhood, so I don’t think it would be impossible for the residents since it would be 1 night a year on a weekend, from the sounds of it. I would be perfectly fine in my neighborhood. My cars are kept in a garage and I seldom go out late at night.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:16 pm
I can see it now.
National Guard Humvee’s drifting, and drag racing.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:22 pm
=== Anyway the city can make that a play at your own risk thing, they must have something like that for Skate on State (they’re surely not on the hook for every klutz who brings skates). ===

I am not sure that you understand what exactly this is. This isn’t about a klutz slipping on the ice. This involves drag racing and extremely dangerous conduct using vehicles which can cause property damage, death and/or great bodily harm. There have also been several shootings at these “takeovers”. We should not be sanctioning this type of behavior on our City streets or facilities.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:28 pm
Maybe we should start training the National Guard to help with violence prevention.

Same with the military.

I mean, we’ve got lots of troubled youths who are under-resourced and are at a high risk of making bad decisions while their brains are still developing….and we’ve got an $800 billion military with barracks and bases around the world that has a TON of resources.

Some of these kids need some structure and a career pathway. The military should be much more of a humane, helpful option than it is. I mean, eight..hundred….billion….dollars. “We” ought to get our piece of that.

If the National Guard isn’t working on or being trained in violence prevention now….they should start.

Thanks Rich.

Comment by Dan Johnson Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:39 pm
I know they are racing. I think removing parked cars, pedestrians and other cars is going to remove a lot of the dangerous aspects. Sure they can still hit each other and spectators, but if it’s a enter at your own risk then (maybe the organizer could be on the hook for people injured who come to watch or race?) As for shootings. Sure. People can get shot at street festivals we still have them. Anywhere immature people gather is likely to have shootings these days.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 3:41 pm
-I know they are racing. I think removing parked cars, pedestrians and other cars is going to remove a lot of the dangerous aspects.-

You just don’t get it. They are doing it for the thrill and wouldn’t negotiate even if the City wanted to. Being lawless is the point. They are illegally blocking major intersections with virtual impunity and you want to just let them do it? How about no. Take their most valuable possessions, their cars, and make examples of the ringleaders.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:14 pm
===“They can do the babysitting there,” he said of the National Guard.===

This is a heckuva thing to say about a group of people that have volunteered to serve our country in a time of war.

Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:39 pm
It’s tough for me to take seriously anyone who thinks the charge of the national guard is that of law enforcement outside a natural disaster, and that charge is to protect and ensure safety of an area after an act of god disaster.

Dorm rooms have more thoughtful answers.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 4:55 pm
The fact that we are even having this dialogue scares the heck out of me.

Comment by Blue Dog Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 6:17 pm
=I’d appreciate learning what it is.=

Go watch the movie “The Siege”, it is a movie but not real far from the ruth.

Armies (the Nat Guard is an Army) are not there for law enforcement. Attack and defend.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 7:13 pm
I thoight the whole purpose of the Grid System was so we could just roll dump trucks side-by-side from all four directions and squeeze them like a trash compactor.

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 8:57 pm
There was drag racing near where my mom lives, Saturday morning, starting at 1:30/1:40 am. It was so loud that I could not get to sleep until the next day at 8 pm. The drag racing caused a car to hit a place the city or state used for a traffic light on Cicero & sent the concrete base flying 20 to 30 feet away.

Comment by Chris in ChiTown Monday, Aug 29, 22 @ 9:58 pm
This conversation is a good example of the need for some policy entrepreneurship for our enormous armed forces.

We should leverage these enormous resources at great expense to taxpayers to improve lives as much as possible.

Just bring ready to go to war and being ready to help for a weather emergency isn’t enough value for the taxpayer dollar.

Comment by Dan Johnson Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 9:08 am
===isn’t enough value for the taxpayer dollar===

They aren’t full time employees. They have lives outside the guard. Many are police officers. Calling them out needs to be a last resort.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 9:11 am
Maybe the mayor could declare public emergency and call out the IL National Guard like when Downtown was been looted …oh wait never mind. ILNG should only be called out locally in declared disasters and scaled up civil unrest, not for everyday policing, not their job.

Comment by NorthsideNoMore Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 4:01 pm