Source: 8/11/20 2nd Ward Newsletter
Dear Neighbor,
There is nothing more important than the safety of Chicago’s residents and its businesses.
In May, Chicagoans watched in dismay as our city was devastated by widespread looting and rioting. From the night of August 9th and into the early hours of August 10th, we watched a more violent type of riot take place, with shootings, stabbings, and attacks upon – and injuries to – police officers.
Yesterday morning, Mayor Lightfoot stood at a podium and offered nothing but rhetoric and blame, just as she did in May. Today, I am demanding publicly that the administration presents a safety plan that will protect all neighborhoods and small business owners. Absent a comprehensive safety plan, I am strongly in favor of asking for federal assistance.
This is not the first time I have asked for a safety plan. One week ago, I organized a crime and safety summit which included Mayor Lightfoot, Chicago Police Superintendent Brown, Deputy Chief O’Shea, 18th District Commander Stevens, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly to directly address the concerns of brazen street violence, retail theft, and business retention along the Magnificent Mile.
During that meeting, I specifically asked the Mayor what measures would be taken to protect the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods. The Mayor offered to assign more police officers to the 18th and 1st Districts, but revealed no plan for how they would respond to mass offender events like what we saw this week.
Further, I have yet to find out if the newly established Critical Incident Response Team that was created as part of Superintendent Brown’s restructuring of CPD has been fully trained to prepare for the unprecedented crime we are seeing, or how they will be used strategically to discourage another surge in retail crime.
Our city can not afford even one more night of rampant and uncontrolled criminal activity. This has to stop. And it has to stop now. I have repeated these demands in my interviews with WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and Fox 32 Chicago.
I continue to stay in close contact with neighborhood organizations like Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, Gold Coast Neighbors Association, North Dearborn Association, and River North Residents Association. Also I support the efforts of the Magnificent Mile Association as they work with local businesses on store security and re-establishing consumer confidence.
Above all, please help play an active role in monitoring our community. If you see anything suspicious, call 9-1-1 immediately. An increase in the number of these calls assists me with my demands to add special attention designations to these areas.
Sincerely,
Brian Hopkins
Alderman, 2nd Ward
