Policy Platform

Chicago Police detectives working in our area were told by young offenders that they refer to West Town as “Candyland,” because robbing from its residents was like “taking candy from a baby.” That unfortunate viewpoint needs to be changed.

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The distressing fact is that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is at a three-decade low with 11,669 sworn officers as of March 30, 2022, down from the 11,983 reported at the beginning of 2022 and the 12,739 members on the force on Jan. 1, 2021, according to statistics provided by CPD to the media.  In the 1990s through the early 2000s, there were typically around 13,500 CPD officers.  The result is CPD is dealing with more crime with fewer officers available to patrol and answer 911 calls. In this article, Wirepoints reports that in 2021 “there were 406,829 incidents of high-priority emergency service calls
for which there were no police available to respond.”​

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My public safety priorities include:

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•  Filling the 1,500+ uniformed police vacancies as soon as possible by ramping up recruitment efforts while also ensuring the individuals hired have the proper background, temperament and mindset to serve and protect all residents of Chicago and that their training adheres the standards set forth in the consent decree under which CPD is operating.  

 

• Working with the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, the Superintendent of Police, the Chief of Patrol and the Commanders, Captains and Community Policing Sergeants of the Districts in the ward to restore the community policing model that prioritizes beat integrity and ensures every beat in the Ward has officers assigned to it who are actively patrolling on all three watches 24/7.

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• Circulating petitions in the current 12th District to re-open a 13th District Station in the West Town area. The 12th District covers a large and highly congested area. This was a failed experiment and it’s not fair to the constituents within this area.  Crime has spiked and we need to show results and bring those numbers back down. This will require a majority vote of 26 in City Council and the Mayor’s approval to pass. With strong community support, we can achieve this. 

 

• Because many residents of the 36th Ward rely on public transportation, I’ll work to redirect funds currently spent on private security patrols on the CTA to hire more CPD officers so that there are at least 500 officers assigned to the Public Transit Unit who are riding trains and buses and patrolling stations.​

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• Dedicating 10%, or roughly $160,000 of the $1.60 million menu budget allocated to the 36th Ward, to launch a 1-year private security patrol pilot program and measure results. The security company hired must pass rigorous standards and only employ off-duty or retired law enforcement officers. Other communities in Chicago have hired private security including areas in Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Hyde Park.

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• Advocate for the reactivation of the City of Chicago’s Law Department Municipal Prosecution Unit while also working with like-minded aldermen to pass a comprehensive “Public Nuisance” ordinance focused on enforcing misdemeanors crimes that the Cook County State’s Attorney Office fails to prosecute.

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• With fewer officers patrolling, Chicago needs to beef up its use of technology.  If we are working with a smaller police force, we need to leverage technological assets to combat crime. Some of my suggestions include:​​

  • ​Install additional ShotSpotters throughout the city as they are proven to help increase response times with police arriving between 1-3 minutes of shots being fired. Currently, 60 of 240 square miles are covered with an average police response times ranging from 1-3 minutes.

  • Install license plate readers and speed cameras along all Chicago-area expressways and Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Since officers are not allowed to pursue, we must leverage technology to identify and capture criminals.

  • Invest in metal detectors / x-ray scanners at all CTA train entry access points with new turnstiles that prevent access to anyone carrying a weapon on CTA property.

  • Add to the small CPD helicopter fleet and consider the use of drones to follow criminals from the sky. I also would like to explore the feasibility of moving helicopters from Gary Airport to Midway and O’Hare.

  • To enhance ongoing training and to allow supervisors to take corrective measures on a daily basis, explore the purchase of  Truleo software , which provides automated review and analysis of body worn camera audio.