This was the scene yesterday afternoon as some ornery Uptown youngsters were questioned by the police at where else, but Leland and Malden.The photographer commented:
"They were all let go after a while and then I proceeded to watch out my window, as they loitered there for the next hour or so. I saw one very complicated hand-off of something about 30 minutes after the police were there...the one person (youngest) gave something to someone (a new person arriving) in exchange for money and then that person walked down and gave the money to the one with the purple rag on his head, all while the tall one watched up and down the street. That's pretty much the scene every day at that corner with mostly the same people..."
At CAPS, we were told drug dealers don't carry the drugs on them in order to avoid prison time if caught with possession. They have minors doing the actual drug delivery for them after a cash transaction occurs. Maybe in a few years they will take debit cards.
ReplyDeletePretty smart, heh?
Has anyone seen The Wire? Just watch some of the first season and you'll learn a lot.
ReplyDeleteIronically, as I was walking my dog past the apartment building in the background a couple days ago, a fellow was blasting a roman candle from a third floor window to the building across the street--in broad daylight. Charming.
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a great opportunity to place a 911 call. Although it may seem like a minor event, it would help the police identify which apartment is creating some of the problems at that corner. It can be difficult to isolate which unit is involved.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this bit of info. I don't mean to be critical of your action....just thought I would pass along a suggestion.
Just a reminder that these are the neighborhood terrorists that Alderman Shiller thinks we need more of in Uptown.
ReplyDeleteThey are terrorists in every sense of the word and should be treated as such.
Hi FOD, I did consider making the call but I got spooked that they'd know who did the calling( I was half waiting for the fellow to point that thing at me as we both fled quickly). My doggy and I make that walk to Soggy Paws several times a week.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh the joys of diversity! Maybe you all should do an anti-drug march. Come up with a fancy slogan or two to chant and call the news for coverage.
ReplyDeleteOh and by the way, CAPS doesn't work.
Oh, I'm thinking it is working. Otherwise, you wouldn't be posting on this very popular blog to discourage community participation to address crime. When I attended the last CAPS meeting, I was really impressed with the diversity of people there who were all focused on addressing the drug dealing in the area. So much for the notion that blacks and poor people don't want a safe area to live, huh westcide dog.
ReplyDeleteThe next CAPS meeting for Beat 2311 is the 1st Tuesday of the month at 7pm at Truman College. That will be August 5th. Make sure you mark your calendars.
You people are so oblivious! Get a grip. What the heck are you filming the Police for? They are just trying to make the neighborhood better for everyone to live in. Theses Savages run through the streets thinking they own them. And of course they aren't doing anything or hold drugs when the Police roll up. Thats all they need is to have people filming them after they get there and are put in a situation that the filmer didn't film from the beginning. We do not need a program (CAPS) to help the Police. We should already be doing it. They are true Domestic Terrorists!! Oh! And when they get shot and killed, it's their 6th, 7th, or 8th grade picture that gets shown, and they are portraded as students and on the honor roll. Such B.S.! The picture may be from the last time they may have been innocent. Leave the Police alone, and let them do their jobs correctly. Their powers and respect from slugs have been taken because of cameras.away
ReplyDeletep.s. Sorry for any of my Type-O's. I was in a hurry to go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to all and stay Safe!
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windycityeagle and iamsynical2, i think your labels of domestic terrorists of these people who were stopped on the street by the cops is unfair. Do you know these individuals pesonally and what they're involved in. how do you define a terrorist? is someone who sells drugs a terrorist? are cops who torture people (Jon Burge et al) domestic terrorists? are those of us who pay federal taxes and economically support our government's wars supporting terrorists? are people who work for or buy from corporations that expolit people and the earth supporting terrorists?
ReplyDeletei know it's easy to oversimplify these problems and make it a good vs. evil thing (we're the good law-abiding citizens while the young african americans being stopped on the steet or lighting fireworks are the bad people or "savages" and "terrorists" as stated on this blog). Reminds me of the way Bush frames the war of terror.
our culture is a violent one. the violence and illegal economy on the street are reflections of the larger violence of our culture and economic and political systems.
we all need to change the ways in which we live to solve this problem. not only the people selling drugs or involved in street crime, but all of us who have been brought up in and who support a "get mine first" way of living. what some drug dealers and gang members do on the streets is such a minute relection of what is done in our name collectively everyday on a global level by our government and corporations. the experience of living in uptown where there is some street violence hopefully serves as an eye-opener to some people about OUR culture.
putting more police on the street or putting up more cameras is not getting to the root of the problem. i think we need to address and change the individualistic mentality that people in our country and local community are taught and behave according to. Everyone raised in our culture has to struggle with this, poor people, rich people, Latinos, blacks, whites, etc. once we do this we can begin to make changes structurally in our economy and politics.
In that regard i think we need a different economic system that prioritizes the needs of people all over the world over elites making huge profits. we also need a political system that responds to the needs of people instead of the wants of people with money and connections.
what was the point of the photo? was it to show the police doing their job, or to say police were harassing this people?
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of this photo is ideally for neighbors to note the identities of the gang bangers who consistently, daily deal drugs, etc. at Malden and Leland. For instance, the tall African-American standing is one of the gang bangers that was part of the huge gang fight (with baseball bats and guns) at 6 pm at that corner that happened the same night as the murder of the Truman College student. He was also the person who stood at the corner last year waving a baseball bat and screaming at cars as they drove by. The young man, seated in the picture, is unfortunately used as a runner for the gangs ... he is the one who is always seen being used to exchange the drugs for money and then later on passing the money to the one in the purple cap.
ReplyDeleteThese same gang bangers are at the corner every afternoon and every night doing the same thing ... and yet never seem to get arrested for the drug deals that me and all my neighbors see them do on a regular basis ... daily.
Hopefully the next picture will be evidence of them committing crimes, so that the police can arrest them next time instead of just stopping them.
I think it's great that yuo got the pic--however--I have VIDEO of dealings going on--and the police don't want to view it--Ive tried BELIEVE me--and again--RON DURHAM-I saw your post on another thread and responded as such: yes--we need to address the problems in society that lead these kids to violence--I know that you said something to the effect that you lived this kind of life at one time. However, as someone who has volunteered reading and writing skills for poor, illiterate adults, I cannot tolerate society's greed as an excuse for vioelent and predatory behavior. Nor should you. I have tutored men who are not only black, poor, but who suffered disabilities, and who worked their fingers to the bone in labor intensive jobs to support their families. They don't survive by killing their brothers, sisters, and innocent victims on the streets. Tell me Ron, who are the greedy ones, Ron? People like that, who have every reason in the world to get into illegal activity to make a buck, or the gang members on my street, who are able to get a decent education, have a fine roof over their heads, yet want more and more? And the opportunity is there if they want to do it the right way. My father was dirt poor, no connections. In his day, noone gave a thing to a Hungarian immigrants' family. But he worked his finger to the bone. He went to a dilapidated inner city steel mill public HS and college, while also helping to bring food home to his brothers and sisters. There is no excuse for these wstes of life, ruining the lives around them, innocent or otherwise. Period. No excuses. On top of that, they make it harder for the young kids who happen to live in their vicinity who are trying to do it the right way. Society's responsibility? NO WAY. Not any more.
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
ReplyDeleteMost of parents/Grandparents came over to America and worked their fingers to the bone. They didn't complain or ask for handout to live off of for generations. I feel the same way you do, I'm sure in many aspects. Let's try and stick together and take away all these undeserved handouts that these people are so willing to take and not work, or work for.
Probably voted for Shiller!!!
ReplyDelete