The Chicago Police Department has made over 100 arrests related to the August 9 looting incidents so far (such as these arrests on August 11 and August 12), and is seeking help from the pubic as they continue their investigation. The effect on the business community and local residents is discussed in this interview with CBS 2 News.

The Area 3 Looting Task Force is seeking to identify these individuals in relation to burglary/looting incidents that occurred in the 18th District:

Alderman Hopkins encourages anyone who has videos, photos, or other information on recent looting incidents to email the Looting Task Force at 630lootingtaskforce@chicagopolice.org, submit an anonymous tip to CPDtip.com, or submit a tip to the Chicago FBI Office at http://fbi.gov/chicagotips.

https://home.chicagopolice.org/?utm_source=2nd%20Ward%20Alerts&utm_campaign=bae378d94a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_05_01_09_37_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a38d3733c-bae378d94a-182594933

City officials joined law enforcement, prosecutorial partners and business and community leaders to announce a new comprehensive plan to further protect Chicago’s commercial corridors, neighborhood businesses and communities. Building on the all-hands-on-deck neighborhood protection plan that was launched on Monday morning, the City’s latest strategies are designed to prevent future looting attempts through stronger community partnerships, rapid response deployments, enhanced use of technology, robust legal actions and an integrated approach to geographic lockdowns.

To strengthen the City’s rapid and agile response to looting incidents, the Department will deploy officers from the impacted District, the Critical Incident Response Team, and the Community Safety team to the affected location. Additionally, City resources – including Streets and Sanitation vehicles – will be mobilized to assist CPD in maintaining control of the area through tactics such as traffic control. These resource deployments will ensure CPD has adequate coverage to protect businesses.

As part of new efforts to leverage neighborhood leadership, CPD’s Community Policing team is partnering with local community, faith-based and business leaders to conduct weekly operation meetings to improve public-private coordination and further prepare for potential incidents.

This latest coordination effort will fully integrate the business community in the Office of Emergency Management and Communications’ (OEMC) Summer Operations Center. Additionally, the City continues to deploy more than 100 infrastructure assets from the Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) and the Department of Water Management (DWM), who are working in concert with the Chicago Police Department to protect local commercial corridors.

Reinforcing the Department’s commitment to transparency and accountability at every level, the City is ensuring that all patrol officers and citywide teams in the field, including the Community Safety Team, the Critical Incident Response Team and Summer Mobile, are equipped with body-worn cameras (BWC) starting this weekend. Additionally, starting this weekend, the City has negotiated with its vendor to receive more than 500 additional BWCs to ensure that every CPD officer is equipped at all times.

Furthermore, as part of enhanced efforts to utilize technology, the Department will focus around-the-clock on open-source social media activity that could indicate plans for looting. This will include ongoing key term searches as well as review of relevant pages or accounts that have been used to organize such activity previously.

In partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department has formed a special Task Force of Detectives to specifically manage looting cases to ensure that those who loot are held accountable. This Task Force is already reviewing video camera footage and other evidence to identify perpetrators and develop strong cases against them.

The City is also strengthening partnerships with the Cook County Sheriff, Illinois State Police, and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO). The Task Force on looting will work in close partnership with the CCSAO to ensure that individuals are held accountable for their actions. The City is also considering new laws and regulations that would provide CPD greater flexibility in prosecuting cases.

The Illinois State Police will also assist in securing areas impacted by looting by restricting access to affected areas of the city. The City is also partnering with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, who will deploy into neighborhoods and supplement CPD manpower. In addition to law enforcement partners, the City is utilizing its departments and agencies to deploy new and enhanced ways to shut down geographies – including parts of the downtown core – in the event of another looting incident. These tactics include blocking and disabling vehicles as well as creating new hardened cityscapes.

Over the weekend, OEMC will continue to ensure residents have the latest information on any restricted access to the downtown area. To receive emergency alerts for updates on street closures and public transportation, subscribe to Chicago’s text or email alert system at NotifyChicago.org or follow OEMC on Facebook and Twitter.

Source:  Reilly Reports 8/14/2020

Many of you have reached out to my office about the recent events that have affected our city in an unimaginable manner.

In May, we witnessed unprecedented violence and destruction in our community. On Sunday, we stood by helplessly as we watched the same scene play out — this time on a magnitude of a different level.

Earlier this week, I called on the mayor and the Cook County state’s attorney to put forth a comprehensive public safety plan that not only protects our residents, but our economy.

I have spent the week talking with constituents and business owners. They all want to know how they can help.

Our mayor and state’s attorney must be held accountable and develop a plan of action that will protect our city and prosecute those who are trying to tear it apart.

The fastest and most effective way to make your voices heard are through Facebook and Twitter. I ask that you are respectful of both individuals by offering your concerns, but also thoughtful ideas that will help protect our neighbors, the business community and their employees.

Below are ways to reach Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/chicagosmayor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SAKimFoxx

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChicagoMayorsOffice
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SAKimFoxx

Email: Letterforthemayor@cityofchicago.org
Email: statesattorney@cookcountyil.gov

Sincerely,

Alderman Brian Hopkins
2nd Ward

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

The Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced the creation of the Digital Media Tip Line. The FBI encourages witnesses of unlawful violent activity in the Chicago area (especially in the last few days) to submit helpful information, photos, or videos to http://fbi.gov/chicagotips.

Residents may also send anonymous tips, photos, and video footage to the Chicago Police Department on CPDtip.com.

Please note that these websites cannot be used to report emergencies or immediate threat to life. For emergencies or immediate threat to life, please call 9-1-1.

Source:  Alderman Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward Newsletter

Resident’s Guide to 9-1-1 Caller Anonymity

9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers have the responsibility to get the caller the help they need and assist first responders by dispatching the right resources, as well as providing the most accurate and thorough information available to ensure the safety of the caller and the safety of police, fire and EMS personnel responding to the emergency. Any person reporting a crime who is not a victim may inform the call-taker that he/she wishes to remain anonymous.

For more information on 9-1-1 caller anonymity, please refer to the below image. If you are having trouble viewing the image, click here.

Source:  Alderman Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward Newsletter 8/11/2020