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* Crain’s on the weekend violence…

But the alderman who represents much of downtown, Brendan Reilly, 42nd, blamed police for letting the situation get out of hand.

“This feels a bit like Groundhog Day — every year, on our first warm weather weekend, it seems that (Chicago Police Department) leadership is caught flat-footed and overwhelmed by these large groups of juveniles on our beaches and in our parks,” Reilly said. “My colleagues and I will be demanding a briefing to ensure that CPD has drafted a plan and that it will be implemented immediately to prevent incidents like this from occurring again.” […]

Police sources emphasize that, after earlier events, steps were taken to secure Millennium Park and that there was a considerable police presence available to deter looting. But sources also report that the department needs to improve internal communication between units that monitor social media and patrol officers. In addition, the department is planning steps to ensure more command personnel are on hand to make quick decisions during future such incidents.

This happens pretty much every year and they’re only now fixing to get ready to do these things?

* Sun-Times…

Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said the gatherings fueled by social media devolved into three nights of “mayhem” because of a “total breakdown in command and control” at the Chicago Police Department.

“We’ve had more than our share of downtown mass arrest incidents going back over a decade. This is not new,” Hopkins said. “What is new is to have it happen three days in a row.” […]

Hopkins said interim police Supt. Eric Carter and Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott got into a shouting match Saturday night, and there was a heated disagreement between “Chicago police leadership and CTA management about who was in charge” of determining whether to cut off mass transit service to downtown.

“There should be all sorts of contingency plans in place for when these incidents occur,” Hopkins said. “Instead, we had an absolute meltdown of command and control. Nobody knew who was in charge.”

Unreal.

* Tribune…

“I don’t feel safe in my city anymore,” said Raul Montes, a Little Village activist who held a news conference Monday afternoon to demand Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson reinforce the city’s 10 p.m. curfew for teens enacted in May last year by City Council following a teen’s fatal shooting at The Bean in Millennium Park.

That curfew was an abject failure. WTTW…

Chicago’s extended and expanded teen curfew — touted by Mayor Lori Lightfoot as the way to put an end to a spate of downtown violence among young Chicagoans — was enforced by police only four times between May 17 and Aug. 18, according to data obtained by WTTW News.

* Back to the Tribune…

On Monday night, Chicago police issued a statement that it would be “actively and continuously” reviewing “open source social media” and that “additional resources will be available to protect those who are visiting, living or working in the areas of large gatherings. Resources include an increased police and command staff presence at these gatherings citywide.”

It said that the “Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs) will also be monitoring all activity and police cameras to assist in the proactive reallocation of resources when necessary.”

“Additional security measures such as bag checks at beach entry points and the curfew for minors at Millennium Park” will be in place,” the statement said. “CPD is also working closely with youth and outreach workers for when these gatherings occur.”

The CPD needs to coordinate much more closely with outreach groups. The cops are clearly overwhelmed and it’s time they admit that. And these outreach groups need to step the heck up.

* WBEZ…

Chicago in recent years has invested more resources in non-policing solutions to violence.

[Norman Kerr, a local public safety expert] said the city could employ a team of anti-violence workers to patrol downtown hot spots on the weekend and help turn down the temperature when situations get heated.

“There has to be some sort of investment in a cadre of individuals who can [stop] some of the conflicts that are brewing. They can help to mitigate it,” Kerr said. He said those teams must be property funded and put in place before kids get downtown.

* Thanks for the news flash, Chicago Tribune editorial board…

Part of the issue here is that teens now use social media to organize very quickly. Those of previous generations are familiar with how kids used to spend hours just trying to find the right time and place to meet up. As an episode of the public radio show “This American Life” once explored, teenagers used to spend all their energy figuring out a plan.

Now huge numbers of teens are interconnected. One posts where to go and when, and hundreds, if not thousands, heed the call. Demonstrably, they move far faster than police.

Gee, you think? C’mon. Social media has been around longer than some of these kids have been alive. And it’s helped generate organized downtown violence for nearly that long. Where is that editorial board even from? Did they just drop in from Mars?

* CBS 2…

Chicago Loop Alliance responded to the crowds by saying, “Our Chicago Loop Alliance ambassadors and unarmed security remained vigilant of the situation throughout the night. While this is not a frequent occurrence in the Loop, we are prepared to work with all relevant partners and parties in response to when these trends are detected.”

We’ve seen social media posts encouraging teens to come into the Loop and fight.

CBS 2 reached out to the CPD to ask if they know how this started, and they said they have no clue how this was organized.

“No clue.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:08 am

Comments

over the weekend there were big mobs with street takeovers, including cars and store break-ins, in Compton and Compton residents say the mobs were not from Compton. was there a national weekend notice on social media? Was the video of a white woman being surrounded and beaten by a mob on Wabash real? who made the video seemingly celebrating all the mayhem? Can the Feds help with the video as they seemed to solve the Oak Street murder via that. Is there still a general age curfew in Chicago? (fond memories of informing my parents that I had aged out of the restrictions…..)

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:22 am
Chicago is failing its young people. Again.

Comment by Squirrel Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:22 am
The problem is people hate nuance. Everyone has their own idea for a quick, simple solution. Rarely has a quick simple solution to anything ever worked.

Yes we need policing to respond to imminent or active threats and criminality. But that requires an effective, intelligent police response.

Yes we ALSO need to treat the poorer and less advantaged parts of our city better and provide them with resources so that the default warm summer activity isn’t always wander around downtown and turn it into an unsupervised mass party.

This is not a new issue. I moved to Chicago 15 years ago, and this has happened every summer as far as I can recall. Leadership at all levels in all sectors need to ask themselves why this is happening at the root cause level, and work from there in addition to fixing the issues within CPD and how we react to acute issues at the time they are occurring.

Comment by Homebody Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:30 am
There were 15 arrests supposedly made the other night. what is the status of these individuals? Incarcerated still? our on bail? charged? never charged?

Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:36 am
Community organizers

Comment by Franklin Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:43 am
I agree with Brandon Johnson’s calls for more services for young people. However, the services will have a long term impact. Short term, this is going to happen again. Kind of obvious, but he needs to have chain of command and procedures for these events buttoned up yesterday.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:43 am
To the post,

Candidate Johnson… Mayor Johnson.

That’s the challenge… that both are the “same” while combating criminal activity *AND* be a mayor that looks at alternatives in policing that keeps Johnson’s bona fides towards reimagining how police do their job.

I made my thought clear, awful choices, Vallas and Johnson. Awful.

The new mayor must take advantage of his new-ness to make decisions that go to all the real issues that these event(s) bring, and they are not “new” to anyone.

The learning curve is gonna be even steeper than realized with events like these continuing, the honeymoon will be very short too, so if Johnson is at all serious about doing the things necessary to change Chicago, then there can’t be a “wait and watch” approach… but don’t forget who you are Mayor Johnson, because the less you are Candidate Johnson better equate to results, or it’ll be a double loss, not only for Chicago, but Johnson’s base, and even for Johnson’s detractors too.

Do the work needed.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:48 am
I think Good Kids, Mad City’s proposal to pay youth to be peace keepers/deescalate situations needs to be tried. It is something that can be implemented relatively quickly and tested. It isn’t THE answer, but it certainly is worth a shot.

Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:49 am
Parents are missing entirely from this discussion. If you are a parent, the only job that will ever matter in your life is to be a present, enthusiastic, tenacious, informed, positive influence.

Get busy parents. The police, schools, the community, et. al. can never, ever, make up the lost ground created by poor parenting. Parents - you are personally responsible for your kids.

Comment by This just in Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 11:55 am
–Parents are missing entirely from this discussion–

And yet, those like you will still constantly try to use this tired canard - because its a great way to distract from years of disinvestment to give tax breaks to those who don’t need them.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:01 pm
The “parents” trope is tiring. Using “parents” to signal thoughts is tiring too.

If CPD and the State’s Attorney want to hold accountable parents…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:03 pm
We will await JB who has touted that Chicago can host the 2024 convention has to say about this.

In the mean time the woman who was beaten is now giving her side of the story. It is not pretty.

Comment by 1911 Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:04 pm
==Hopkins said interim police Supt. Eric Carter and Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott got into a shouting match Saturday night, and there was a heated disagreement between “Chicago police leadership and CTA management about who was in charge” of determining whether to cut off mass transit service to downtown.

“There should be all sorts of contingency plans in place for when these incidents occur,” Hopkins said. “Instead, we had an absolute meltdown of command and control. Nobody knew who was in charge.”==

==Chicago’s extended and expanded teen curfew — touted by Mayor Lori Lightfoot as the way to put an end to a spate of downtown violence among young Chicagoans — was enforced by police only four times between May 17 and Aug. 18, according to data obtained by WTTW News.==

You could put 16,000 new officers on the streets tomorrow and it will not fix this. You have a police department that is under federal order to fix itself, and has slow-walked every reform possible with no pushback at all from the 5th Floor. You have a transit agency that used to be able to keep the trains running during a blizzard falling into understaffed disrepair. You’ve had both of these trends escalating under the four years of a know-nothing bully in the mayor’s office. And now the dysfunctional agencies are picking fights with each other in public.

Mayor of Chicago has not been a desirable job since 2011, but it’s not getting better in the short term no matter who won that election this month. These are the Big Problems.

Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:06 pm
I was told by the State Senator from Hyde Park that this weekend was actually a “protest”.

Didn’t look like any protest I’ve ever seen.

Comment by weird Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:09 pm
It’s funny how many people who cluck at the unruly teens also think CPS teachers have easy jobs.

Comment by Big Dipper Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:10 pm
Laughing at the “news flash” part of the post. My parents would scream at me for making a “toll” call on the phone!

Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:11 pm
===Didn’t look like any protest I’ve ever seen.===

As an aside, I don’t think you’ve seen many protests

Hyperbole isn’t going to sharpen any point to what needs addressing.

If you’ve never seen any protests that devolved like this, you need to “get out more”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:17 pm
Find the source of the original post. Inciting the youth to go downtown and fight should be followed up.

Comment by Not a tech Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:21 pm
The Chicago Police Department is not an independently funded agency. Its leadership is selected directly by the mayor (or by the Superintendent, who is selected by the mayor). A good task for Johnson, upon taking office, will be to start demanding answers from these leaders and, ideally, find better leaders.

Curfews, which may not even be unconstitutional, are not the answer. The police need to feel like they have direction from the mayor’s office and City Hall to arrest people who are committing crimes, without infringing on people’s rights to assemble–even young people, even people who aren’t white. It’s not a hard problem once you actually call the problem what it is–a tiny number of troublemakers among a larger crowd of people who aren’t doing anything wrong.

Comment by Garfield Ridge Guy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:29 pm
Chicago Loop Alliance
=== We’ve seen social media posts encouraging teens to come into the Loop and fight.===
Hopefully they told the police.

Comment by Betty Draper’s cigarette Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:34 pm
CPD has made it clear that they won’t do their job to make political points after their fee-fees have been hurt by the community that pays them demanding accountability.

Now when CPD fails to perform I don’t give them the benefit of the doubt.

Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:42 pm
OW telling people to get out more when he’s posting on this forum like 100 times a day is, as he’d say, restaurant quality.

Comment by interestante Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:47 pm
- interestante -

I guess if I’ve seen protests devolve and some individual seems bent on saying they’ve never…

I guess you prove my point.

:)

No one needs silly hyperbole to try to make a point to these incidents.

If one had never seen protests devolve like that, well, it’s either silly on its face or they are sheltered, but either way it’s unhelpful to any discussion to get things better.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:51 pm
==If you’ve never seen any protests that devolved like this, you need to “get out more”==

You’ve seen protests that have absolutely no cause they’re fighting for? I’ve seen protests devolve into stuff like this, but there’s at least been a catalyst. The George Floyd protests are a perfect example. There was a clear reason. A clear goal. A clear call for justice reform.

I was at the George Floyd protests, by the way. For whatever that is worth. So I saw a lot of stuff happen right in front of my own two eyes. Not saying that to brag, but I just don’t appreciate the suggestion I don’t get out more when I’ve attended plenty of protests.

This stuff, this weekend? What were they calling for? What policy do these teenagers want changed? The fact is the posts that brought them there was specifically to go the Loop “wild out” and “fight”. It’s not a protest. Calling it one is counterproductive long-term, in my opinion.

We can talk about underlying causes, and I think that’s fine. But calling this parallel to, say, the George Floyd protests is dangerous. In my opinion.

Comment by weirdd Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:56 pm
I actually live around where the “protesters” were active this weekend. Fortunately I was out of town, but this kind of violence is frightening.
As the Alderman said, the police were overwhelmed.
Generally neighbors were comfortable getting back inside at 9:30.
Guess we are going to have to push that up to 7:30.
Not sure why there were only 15 arrests, but thinking most of those folks were out the next day.
Thinking we will have 4 years of Brandon and then on to the next “agent of change”.

Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 12:59 pm
===You’ve seen protests that have absolutely no cause they’re fighting for?===

Uh, yeah.

I’ve seen worse, “reason or not”

Your phony hyperbole isn’t any help in even understanding how to make it better.

===It’s not a protest. Calling it one is counterproductive long-term, in my opinion.===

So your phony beef is about what it’s called?

I bet those injured or worse really don’t care what it’s called, but if you wanna call this something you’ve never seen, and pearl clutch to how one describes it, maybe you might not have the best lens to look at how to prevent it… your self described “protest history” notwithstanding.

===Not saying that to brag===

… as one continues…

===I’ve attended plenty of protests.===

I think you’re more worried about your own credibility than what exactly these folks are going or what needs to be done to make it better…

If your beef is with how it’s characterized, then you have at it, but this idea that protest don’t devolve is ridiculous, and frankly you should feel lucky never to be in the middle of that devolution, with all your experience.

===Didn’t look like any protest I’ve ever seen.===

I’d go on the YouTube…

Be well

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:35 pm
If they wanted to solve the beating on the video they could. They could ask the feds for help geo-locating all the phones that were there at the time of the beating and start arresting people. But that doesn’t fit the narrative of a peaceful protest by young people. They did this for the Jan 6th protest.

Comment by Same Ol Situation Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:41 pm
During the democratic convention, Chicago will be the safest big city in the country. Neither the political right or the political left though will want to continue the policies that produce that.

Comment by prediction Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:47 pm
- doesn’t fit the narrative of a peaceful protest by young people -

No one is pushing that narrative except the voices in your head.

Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:49 pm
Hmm, try again excitable boy.

Senator Peters called it a “protest of segregation and poverty” just yesterday evening. Google it if you don’t believe me.

Comment by Weirdd Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:50 pm
Candy Dogood beat me to it….

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:56 pm
==”and there was a heated disagreement between “Chicago police leadership and CTA management about who was in charge” of determining whether to cut off mass transit service to downtown.”==

Under NO circumstances should the CTA system be entirely shut down. Completely unacceptable for those civil, law abiding individuals using the network for work or leisure. It was unacceptable when it did occur in 2020, and it’s unconscionable to me that it would ever be considered again. Talk about exemplifying that you don’t have a plan. Jeesh…

Comment by Matty Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 1:59 pm
===pay youth to be peace keepers/deescalate situations needs to be tried.===

Pay us to be “peacekeepers” or else this sort of thing will occur? This sounds almost like extortion. I have never heard of this technique of policing in DuPage County.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:18 pm
- Senator Peters called it a “protest of segregation and poverty” just yesterday evening. -

I don’t see the word “peaceful” in that statement, try learning to read.

Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:21 pm
About 10 years ago or so, I had to fight my way off of a red line subway car at Chicago and State when a flash mob started going crazy on the train and platform. The disturbances downtown this past weekend looked like more of the same.

I can see why people were frightened. When I was caught in it it was one of the scariest things I’d ever been in. Suffice to say I disagree w Sen Peters characterization.

Comment by low level Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:26 pm
low level, try to lay off the predictions for a while. You were terrible during the election.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:33 pm
==Pay us to be “peacekeepers” or else this sort of thing will occur? This sounds almost like extortion. I have never heard of this technique of policing in DuPage County.==

Have you heard it from, say, Chicago FOP Lodge 7?

Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:36 pm
Roadrager, not sure they said “pay us,” but they did threaten blood in the streets if Vallas lost. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:40 pm
Lots to unpack here.

First
=-–Parents are missing entirely from this discussion–

And yet, those like you will still constantly try to use this tired canard - because its a great way to distract from years of disinvestment to give tax breaks to those who don’t need them.=

I am trying to understand why some think parents get a pass here? From my perspective, and I will grant you I am a bit sensitive, schools get the blame for just about any problem kids face. Yes, we have work to do, and there are bad schools, but I do not see parents stepping up to hold their children accountable for their actions.

CPD was overwhelmed and there were obvious breakdowns that allowed things to go from bad to worse. The city can offer programs for teens, but that is value added and I do not see it as their mission. How is it we are giving the kids who chose to act they way they did and their parents a pass here?

With respect.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:47 pm
In addition to monitoring social media, they need to target the instigators.
Illinois law allows a judge to hand down an extended prison sentence to anyone convicted of mob action who used social media or text messaging to organize it.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 2:55 pm
=How is it we are giving the kids who chose to act they way they did and their parents a pass here?=

I’m not lawyer, but as I understand it, this is specifically addressed by the “Civil Liabilities” section of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS):

CIVIL LIABILITIES
(740 ILCS 115/) Parental Responsibility Law.

Sec. 3. Liability. The parent or legal guardian of an unemancipated minor who resides with such parent or legal guardian is liable for actual damages for the wilful or malicious acts of such minor which cause injury to a person or property, including damages caused by a minor who has been adjudicated a delinquent for violating Section 21-1.3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012.

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:04 pm
What a disgrace. “Peacekeepers” are going to prevent a mob of young people from senselessly beating and robbing a 22 year old woman in the loop in broad daylight?

CPD bears some responsibility here, yes. However, that is an easy excuse. What is the solution when there have been historic numbers of retirements, low level recruiting, and a complete decimation of morale. The police chief was ineffective and recently fired. There was an order by the mayor to end foot pursuits. Every cop is worried about being sued, charged, or killed for doing their job. And now we have a mayor who championed defunding the police and seems to pontificate about the plight of these teens while they engage in mayhem.

What was shown in that video is inexcusable. There is no solution that will come in the near term from this new administration, there is crickets from Kim Foxx on how these individuals will be prosecuted, and sadly this will continue as long as the excuses continue.

Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:13 pm
==low level, try to lay off the predictions for a while. You were terrible during the election.==

Rich, yes and Ive acknowledged that several times. Ive also congratulated Mayor Elect Johnson.

Where in my statement of what occured on the subway did I make a prediction?

Comment by low level Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:16 pm
=== What is the solution===
Quite a few solutions have been suggested. Let’s try some.
===when there have been historic numbers of retirements, low level recruiting,===
WTTW Heather Cherone | March 24, 2023 “Approximately 1,000 officers left the Chicago Police Department in 2022, while some 950 officers were hired, the most since 2018, the last time the city stepped up efforts to hire new police officers in response to an increase in crime, according to city data.” So 1000minus 950 is 50.
===and a complete decimation of morale.===
How do you know that?
===The police chief was ineffective and recently fired. There was an order by the mayor to end foot pursuits.===
Yes but only for some misdemeanors.
===And now we have a mayor who championed defunding the police===
Mayor elect and he changed his mind about defunding the police.
===and seems to pontificate about the plight of these teens while they engage in mayhem.===
Before a crime can occur there has to be the thought and desire to to the crime. Maybe reach the person before the thought and desire become a reality. It’s a thought. He also said this behavior was unacceptable.
==•There is no solution that will come in the near term from this new administration,===
Well some ideas have been proposed. What’s your solution?
===there is crickets from Kim Foxx on how these individuals will be prosecuted,===
Probably because they’re minors? Although some arrested were adults.
===and sadly this will continue as long as the excuses continue.===
Excuses or great ideas?

Comment by Betty Draper’s cigarette Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:51 pm
=Every cop is worried about being sued, charged, or killed for doing their job.=

They should be. Because last I saw the city has paid over $500M in settlements for cops that claimed they were “doing their job.” I get the challenges that go into policing and recognize the job isn’t getting any easier. But some of the folks that are doing this work are demonstrably bad at it. And that’s a problem.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:52 pm
=== . “Peacekeepers” are going to prevent a mob of young people===

I have no idea but the cops surely didn’t. You got another idea or will you continue yelling at clouds?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:53 pm
“Resources include an increased police and command staff presence at these gatherings citywide.”

Do they expect an invite?

Comment by Politix Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 3:58 pm
Honestly just round up the kids, take them to the station, and then call their parents to pick them up. Not sure why the city makes this so difficult.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:08 pm
The only people who use the words “defund the police” are Republicans.

Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:11 pm
=== Every cop is worried about being sued, charged, or killed for doing their job===

It’s such a tell, lol

The CPD Brass and FOP won’t even expel “Proud Boys”

They’re only scared that the party might be over?

The FOP Prez got to retire for Pete’s sake.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:12 pm
For the 500 million spent on police settlements we could build the Chicago nfl franchise another stadium. (snark intentional)

Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:16 pm
Squirrel..the city has not failed its youth. The majority of young people from all areas of the city do NOT engage in senseless mob action..much less “tork” on top of other’s people Property-cars to top it off.

Comment by Chicago Guy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:16 pm
===You got another idea or will you continue yelling at clouds===

Quite the contrary to yelling at clouds. How about we start by acknowledging that crime isn’t acceptable. Why does that seem so hard for so many in leadership. Instead I hear that we need more “safe spaces,” that the teens are misunderstood, etc. etc. Start by acknowledging that crime isn’t ok, implement steps to make the city safer in the short term, and then maybe we can get to the more wholistic community approach that Brandon likes to talk about once people aren’t afraid to go to work any longer.

Betty, your numbers are completely off. Not to mention the fact that Lori had to lower hiring standards because no one wants to be a cop anymore. Good luck getting quality policing with that.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/18/us/chicago-police-recruiting-standards/index.html

“About 3,800 people took the Chicago Police Department’s entrance exam over the four months it was offered last year, compared to as many as 22,000 in previous years. “

Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:17 pm
===Quite the contrary to yelling at clouds. How about we start by acknowledging ===

What’s this we stuff? Also, speak for yourself. If you’ve got a specific complaint about a specific person, say so.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:23 pm
In situations like this, I always look to hear what Hopkins and Reilly have to say. The big thing is to prevent individuals from doing property damage. The police will have to strictly enforce curfew for minors, to the point of driving the kids home . You can’t blame Brandon Johnson, he isn’t mayor.

Comment by Steve Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 4:55 pm
===“defund the police” are Republicans===

The mayor-elect used it quite often until after he started running for the top job.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 5:18 pm
The quandary on the table is how will Mayor Johnson be true to his “defund the police” rhetoric while also preventing … that’s “preventing”… scenes like this weekend… every single weekend until Winter.

The State’s Attorney? Yeah, well, can’t decide these happenings are nothing anymore. Can’t decide to do all that’s needed without a mayor on board too.

Police… FOP… they can decide to do the work or leave I suppose… deciding to be lazy to their oath would be contrary to the millions already paid, yearly, for being “too zealous”

So… Get it together, people.

It ain’t gonna get better by not doing nothin’…

It’s time, come May 16th… to start, not consider to start.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 5:28 pm
=How about we start by acknowledging that crime isn’t acceptable.=

I don’t believe I’ve heard anyone claim that it is. Recognizing that this is a much larger problem, as Johnson and others are doing, is actually part of getting to a solution. Recognizing the conditions and circumstances that lead to criminal behavior is a big part of this.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 5:42 pm
Seems like there have been some good ideas expressed
CPD need to comb through the footage from last week, ID those involved in crimes, particularly battery and publicize numerous arrests.
If they can ID and arrest the social media users for inciting fighting , that’d be good too.
The state attorney needs to file and prosecute charges. Charging as adults where possible
If it’s legally viable to charge to parents under the Parental Responsibility Law, do that too and make it public.
The aldermen, mayor and mayor elect need to publicly applaud CPD and the state attorney for the arrests and charges. If they want to announce some new programs that they are implementing to keep teens occupied, that’d be great too.

Comment by Jed Bartlett Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 6:55 pm
“ Good luck getting quality policing with that.”

What is wrong with having experience in lieu of college credit? Why won’t such people be of good quality?

Comment by Mayo sandwich Tuesday, Apr 18, 23 @ 8:05 pm