The Neighborhood Taskforce on Loitering that focuses on Public Storage at 4050 N. Broadway is having a Positive Loitering Event next Saturday, April 26th, at 10:30 a.m. at this location."We had some success last year with our events to draw attention to this issue. I was hoping to gather more community support for the event. I feel almost everyone in the neighborhood has driven or walked by that area and wondered what could be done about the problem. Well, here is something that people can do.
We as a community need to put these guys on notice that we watch what takes place there and are not OK with any of it. As you may know, a large number of these men have extensive criminal backgrounds. We have worked with Uhaul to notify consumers not to hire them for this reason. Very few of them actually get any work. It appears most just hang out, drink and throw trash all over the place. They continue to say they just want to get work.
But when the Taskforce and Police worked with Human Services to find them more permanent employment, none of them followed through with the frequent offers that were made. Some of the regulars from last summer are now in prison for serious violent crime.
As always, dogs are welcome to attend the event. Also community members with dogs are encouraged to walk past this location on morning or evening walks to keep an eye on the area and call 911 if anything looks suspicious. Anyone who is interested in participating in the Positive Loitering Event or who wants more information about the problem can email me at Uhaultaskforce@rcn.com."
Query, How many Police Superintendants, Commanders, Lieutenants, Supervisors, Patrol Officers does it take to screw in a light bulb and clean up one address?
ReplyDeleteThis picture could have been taken on any day for the past 20 years (except when Dem Committeeman Sandra Reed had her office on that block and the barbershop guys next door ran these guys off to keep the street safe for visitors.)
It should not take decades to solve this U-Haul problem.
Query, would you rather the Superintendent, Commander of 23 and everyone else in the district "clean up this address" or worry about some of the other more pressing problems in the District and the City? Do you want them picked up for "loitering?" cuz I guarantee you that even if these guys are resistant to human services assistance, they'll sure as heck find an attorney to sue the aformentioned CPD folks for hassling them.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. I will be there
ReplyDeleteStop fighting and show up!
TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!
There seem to be two problems with this issue. First “loitering” is not a crime in Chicago but many of the things that take place at the same time are. However you are correct that there are many other more pressing issues in the area. But when these guys start to drink on the public way urinate on it or block it when women walk by to make threats to them if someone will call 911 and press charges these guys will go to jail. It happened a lot last summer and early fall. We had the court liaison officer talk to the judge and he was made aware when any of the arrests took place on this block. If someone did not show up for court he got a warrant and the police went right back to this area looking for them and in a couple of cases found them. I was in court twice when these guys finally showed up and it was nice to see the Judge let loose on them for their long history of arrests. He wrote a court order for them to keep off the block; some have not been back since. Part of the reason this problem continues is it takes lots of work to go to court and follow up on charges. People in the neighborhood have other things to do. These guys do not and if we do not stay on top of it they will keep coming back. That is why we need community members to get involved.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteNew to Buena Park, live down the block from this locale.
I don't know the history with this and am very disturbed/curious - what's going on? We see them everyday. We assumed that a vehicle picked them up from that location for day labor, but from this post, see that this is not the case. Why can't these men just be arrested for this activity (or non-activity, I guess)?
Anonymous #2. You are creating a false dichotomy. There is not an either-or choice between cleaning up this problem address and your so-called pressing problems.
ReplyDeleteThis district is adequately staffed to do both. It has the smallest geographic footprint of any just about any police district in the city. It is comprised of many highrise buildings that have their own fulltime security staffs that take much of the load off the police. This is a training district that has additional recruits assigned to the area. Lake Shore Drive has it's own police staff supplied from outside this district.
Finally, I was a sucker for that excuse once. That was before I called the Deputy Chief of Patrol's office and and before they told me that 23rd District is not understaffed and that there is no excuse for non-responses to these types of complaints that are routinely handled in other police districts.
I am truly sorry I missed this event, as I used to see these guys every morning on my way to highschool some years back. Funny thing though, I can remember playing those low-lives in basketball over by Wolcott under the train tracks, and just destroying those druggies.
ReplyDelete