Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Just A Little Press At The CAPS Beat 2312 Meeting

Not your usual CAPS meeting. Press vans outside. Cameras and microphones inside. So many attendees that the meeting room was filled to capacity 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, so it was taken outside, to the very street where the "gang riot video" was shot six days earlier. We saw the reports at 10pm on Channels 2 and 5, and will post the links as soon as they're available. If you see any coverage, please post in the comments.

ABC Chicago: Uptown Residents Meet to Address Crime

NBC Chicago: "Uptown Violence 'Not the Everyday Standard'"

41 comments:

  1. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6971920

    ABC7 News now posted

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  2. channel nine is going to carry it during the broadcast now the cubs game just ended

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  3. WGN just did a teaser for the news, saying Uptown residents made the point to their alderman last night that safety's important to them. News will be on around midnight, if anyone's still up.

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  4. run helen run! run helen run! LMAO

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  5. I'm upset this was right outside my apartment... literally... and I was stuck at work! Thanks to everyone on the site for helping keep people like me updated!

    (PS, I heard the gunshots last night... it sounded like they were right outside my window!)

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  6. From the CBS 2 thread...

    so nightly gun shots fired, etc. are not reported as crimes.

    It does not appear they are. They are reported as "shots fired", but they apparently do not log anything unless they have some one or some thing on the receiving end of the ammunition. People or property damage so to speak.

    Travel back with me to May 21, 2009 here on Uptown Update. Read what a local resident had to say about a shooting where the bullet ended up in their living room. The police response as told by this reader is a total joke.

    This is how you can support "crime is down" claims. You just do not log multiple 911 calls for "shots fired".

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  7. When they refer to crime being down, I beleive that they are reporting to stats (how many arrests are made). If the cops are being advised to not make arrests, stats go down. Fewer cops, fewer arrests, crime is down. Of all the participants in that "riot", how many arrests were made? I beleive just 1. Crime is down. ;)

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  8. I just watched some of the newscasts that I missed. I am officially starting the Kristyn Hartman fan club. Finally, a TV reporter doing their homework!

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  9. NOW WHAT? I ask this question as a serious question to the community at large....

    ..we have had an unusual confluence of events that worked to our advantage in highlighting both our frustration with crime and the lack of support from Shiller.

    In the past week, we had the posting of the video which finally allowed us to show proof that we were not a bunch of Yuppie complainers followed shortly by the Olympic meeting then the CAPS meeting.... now there are no more scheduled events for which we can rally...

    .. and my guess is that this is EXACTLY what Helen is counting on. We got our press, we did our marches, etc. and now we have no particular 'rallying' point. The press will probably go away and Helen and her staff can go on as before, ignoring and belittling us...

    ..so I ask the Uptown Community.. what are you going to do personally to make sure that all of the gains we made the past week are not lost, that they do not fade away, and that Shillers office does not get a Free Pass to continue ignoring us..

    So, Uptown residents... now what?

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  10. As far as the “crime is down” statement, be cautious. Specifically they said "crime is down in the 23rd. police district". The last time they used that ploy was at election time and we found out that yes crime was down in the 23rd. police district but it was up in the beats that the community was most concerned about – those beats in the heart of Uptown.

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  11. Hey! There are two Jason's now. I am Jason (TFO) the cool one.

    Besides the media, did anything happen at the meeting? Anything constructive?

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  12. sorry for bad spelling this morning

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  13. Does anyone know if there is a CAPS meeting at Margate Park tonight?

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  14. Uptown Superhero: I'll repeat what i posted in the big media coverage UU thread. I do want to add one note. Krystin Hartman was walking the beat yesterday looking to speak with neighbors in the area to get their view on the situation. She talked to a local mother with two children. This mother and her children walked out of a building and right into the riot on Leland and Sheridan. She was horrified. Her reaction is now captured on camera by CBS 2.

    There are more mothers like her in Uptown. You don't hear enough from them. Once you do hear what they have to say you have to be prepared for the next question they will ask. "Now what?"

    Well this is what I think is the "now what".

    I thought what Yo posted on Twitter yesterday was important.

    The press was looking for a leader. Is there one? Should there be one? Or is this really a situation where it cannot and should not be led by a single person?

    It's much bigger than one person. It's many people, many precincts, many block clubs, many races, many ages, many educational backgrounds.

    I think that as you move forward you must unify the common bonds in each of the CAPS districs and together start reaching out to neighboring ward CAPS districts. Learn from them. Develop an ambassadorial relationship built on top of your common ground.

    I do think that the conclusion of such a task is the elevation of new Ward leadership. Helen Shiller has dug a hole so deep she cannot emerge from it until she repents, accepts her self imposed fate, steps aside and chooses to become a friendly neighbor like all of you.

    The neighborhood cannot afford to shoulder the full-time debt burden with a part-time workforce.

    Organize yourselves. Form a committee. Recruit your local merchants to host your meetings. Establish a set of goals. Set out to accomplish them. Dissolve the organization upon completion of those goals.

    I believe you can do anything you want if you make a pledge to dedicate yourselves to form a more perfect union.


    Those Saturday AM coffees sound good. Neighbors can show up and talk to each other. Who needs the Alderman or her staff? If they want to participate they can bring some doughnuts and listen. What creates an uncivil reaction like shouting out "liar" at a press conference is when the Alderman actually does lie. She creates her escapes. It's the oldest trick in the political playbook.

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  15. Iv'e been here 11 years. It is much better than it used to be.

    My house has not been broken in to for 4 years. (Once when I was home and had to confront the person to get them to leave) That's an improvement. My bike has not been stolen in 3 years.

    Many, many other things are absent, less gunfire, (there is a bullet hole in the bannister of our house from before we moved in) fewer junkies, crack heads, hookers screwing in the alley, human feces and urine, yelling at all hours of the day and night, small daily incidents with people on drugs have been reduced.

    However it is still a dangerous neighborhood. The problem with all the news coverage is that it exaggerates, inflames and creates hysteria. it isn't necessarily good for the neighborhood....nobody is going to move into a neighborhood where they believe gang fights are occuring every night and lots of people are going to move out and home values will plummet.

    The police arresting people will have no effect as generally the police are utterly disinterested in "law" and just arrest people randomly. The worst incidents I have had are with the police shaking me down for drugs, it makes no difference that I tell them I own a home...(and I don't look like a druggie at all)...the police...undercover especially are brutal and crude. They will be abusive of anybody who is darker skinned than pure white and so more arrests are pointless.

    You will notice in the video that the police arrested no one. It's not because some one has to file a complaint, it's because they don't want to get hurt. They are arresting people who are harmless most of the time...that's what you will get. They certainly could arrest any of those kids fighting for any number of reasons including distrubing the piece, throwing bottles at other people on public streets...which is a crime for a number of reasons....c'mon...the idea that the police can't arrest people involved in a fight is absurd. Police don't want to arrest people who are actually dangerous. Most police come to the crime scene after the crime...Not during...but here you see their actions. That's when you arrest people...during the crime....not days later when you see some guy wandering around drunk or some young kid who is just standing around.

    But this is a touchy situation, and it shouldn't be approached with hysteria. I'm not sure what you do...but you might ask the police to arrest people who are committing crimes in the act. They could have done that as seen in the video.

    You can also take a hard look at what's going on with this massive housing project. That should be made very transparent.

    One of the problems we have is now with the economy and how that plays out in terms of the neighborhood.

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  16. http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com/2008/09/alderman-shillers-bloody-hands.html

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  17. As we get closer to elections for Alderman, there should be a leader that emerges to help bind all the block clubs, CAPS, business organizations. Shiller obviously takes the approach of not being publicly seen on matters like CAPS.

    Anyone wanting to challenge Shiller needs to be active in the PUBLIC. Attend CAPS, meet with Businesses and organizations. A strong leader for the ward will not be afraid to talk to those that elect.

    Uptown has soo much potential. This is not a race issue, its not a poor or rich issue. Its an issue of bringing the entire community together Black, Latino, White or what ever race you want to work together to combat violence and create a business and tax base that will help support programs to things much much better.

    Ultimately, each and everyone of us need to take responsibility for this neighorhood. Since we have ZERO leadership, now is the time for strong leaders to start to emerge to take on the challenges left to us by a leader (Shiller) that have vile contempt for those who elected her.

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  18. Is everyone aware of the contract situation with the CPD?

    If not, get up to speed.

    The cops need our support now more than ever.

    One thing that Helen can do is to put pressure on the Mayor to get the CPD more funding, and get this contract dispute resolved (it's in arbitration).

    When Helen tells you that amending the WYTIF won't adversely affect city services, she conveniently discounts the effect that has on providing the police the resources they state are desperately needed.

    If the city can't fund the CPD because aldermen like Helen continue to drain the bank for pet projects, how are the cops going to be able to address the violence?

    There is a direct relation between public safety and TIFs - the press needs to get in touch with that meme and follow it.

    One thing the press failed to mention: Shiller's being sued by her constituents.

    As with anything else: follow the money.

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  19. Brennan, thanks for posting yo's comments again. I think they are excellent too. I also like that he has been pushing for people to stay focused on public safety. It affects us all and we can and must do something about it.

    I waffle on the issue of when and where to also talk about things like TIFs, the Olympics and Mayor Daley. I see these issues as inextricably related to many of our problems but acknowledge that they take people's focus in other directions and highlight differences rather than commonalities. Hmmm....

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  20. So, apparently our esteemed alterman didn't show because when she does, people get too political. Now I know that a public forum with neighbors and police that features discussion about neighborhood crime should not include any discussion of politics. With the presence of so many cameras, I can see how she wouldn't want to be mistaken for a politician.

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  21. I Copied this from "wikipedia". Seems not much has changed.
    "Criticism of Shiller in the 2007 election was largely focused on the lack of communication to ward residents, failure to obtain ongoing input from residents for zoning changes in the ward, her lack of involvement in CAPS meetings, and the many years of blighted retail in the ward. Some critics also charge that "she's keeping Uptown a slum by making it hard for developers to put up their projects."[1] (The 46th ward is sharply divided between wealthy residents who live along Lake Michigan and poorer residents who live west of Sheridan Road.[1]) The columnist Mike Royko once charged that "Shiller's main motive was that she was building a political power base which included as many winos as she could drag to the voting booth."[1] She has not, however, been indicted for voting irregularities.[1] She has been accused of "using the Wilson Yard project to cram the area with poor people to maintain her political base."[1] The neighborhood of Uptown is home to two R.E.S.T. shelters, one Salvation Army shelter, one Salvation Army day center for the homeless, four Cornerstone shelters, a transitional shelter program from Inspiration Cafe, a transitional housing program located at 1207 W. Leland for active drug users with mental illness from Heartland Alliance, another transitional housing program located at 1325 W. Wilson from Heartland Alliance, four nursing homes for people with mental illness, and numerous large SRO buildings, many of them for people living with mental illness. When looking at the number of social services in the ward, its rate is approximately 5 times higher than what is found in other wards. In 2000, a CURL study cited that 18% of the housing in Uptown is subsidized. Other wards average around 5% of their housing as subsidized".

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  22. She has not, however, been indicted for voting irregularities.

    What Shiller does is perfectly legal, although immoral. The homeless have a right to vote, and since they don't have a home, they claim residence in any ward that they want. Shiller rounds them up and brings them to the voting booth.

    Its immoral because she's not trying to actively engage them in the political process, nor integrate them in her community in any meaningful way. Her goal is to simply buy their vote with food.

    She also hides behind front organizations who do the dirty work for her(like spreading insane lies about James). That way, nobody can pin her down.

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  23. What if we setup a lemonade stand on the corner of Leland & Sheridan every Saturday and Sunday? We could get a volunteer sign up sheet for people to sign up to work the booth?

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  24. So when she starts dragging people to the booth we will be there with cameras to catch it on tape. I think its pretty apparent that she can't get away with what she used to in years past. If she does run again...she faces a very steep climb to make that happen.

    Just because they are homeless doesn't mean they are uneducated to make a good decision on who to vote for. We can sway those voters. Even the Wilson Yard (if it does get built and the current residents reside) can be swayed into voting for someone that has the entire community interest in mind. I have the feeling the homeless don't like being played as fools (which is what she is doing).

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  25. Sassy: I do think the IVI-IPO appears like a decent organization with a good set of goals in mind looking at the bigger picture of government objectives, financing, and how elections determine their outcome. However, the IVI-IPO has far too many members that are feeding at the trough at the same time they're trying to clean it.

    They sign on as paid campaign staffers operating their own independent communications, consulting, or public relations organization in between taking jobs with campaigns for political office.

    I still think that any alderman that signs up for handing more control to the Mayor might as well be Don King promoting moving to the suburbs. The suburbs are the Mayor's financial base. Contributors may maintain a city residence, but they don't live there and there children do not attend the local schools. These alderman play right into the hands of the Mayor and they constantly have to explain why they screwed City residents because they "trusted" the Mayor.

    The good news is that this is a Chicago problem I know about. The bad news is we just elected this same crew to the White House. Oy.

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  26. So when she starts dragging people to the booth we will be there with cameras to catch it on tape. I think its pretty apparent that she can't get away with what she used to in years past. If she does run again...she faces a very steep climb to make that happen.

    Too late. Listen to Obama. You have to play Chicago politics and beat your opponents to the voter registration challenge.

    It will be tough because your opposition is going assume you will do this. They'll already be there trying to fill up the room challenging your voters.

    This is the underbelly of politics and during this economic decline people will have more time to closely examine the mechanisms in our government that campaigns use to achieve victory.

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  27. Shame on not only the Alderman, but the city Police Commissioner and Mr. Mayor himself! This ongoing struggle is a discrace to the city of Chicago. CNN is hosting a television show regarding the out-of-control street crime in Chicago?!?! What good are all of the stepped up patrols if the police aren't going to even get out of their cars to do anything or to make arrests. The punks know this. God forbid the police violate anyone's "civil rights"! CPD sure seems like a joke. Smoke and mirrors. Seriously, sorry that their contract situation blows, but hey... we all have a job to do.

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  28. yo

    Let's not forget the CFD contract has been up since March '04. Firefighters and Paramedics save lives each and everyday, often in harms way at shootings/Traumas/fires/ and medical call. You can't put a price on what CFD or CPD does. BOTH contracts are expired, not just CPD.

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  29. Well, Stu Piddy... my window on my car was broken for no good reason (nothing was stolen, I keep no valueables in my car for that reason, but the window repair cost me money that I didn't have to spend at the time..).

    Two years prior to that, all of my CDs were stolen from my car (window was broken then too). That's when I learned not to keep anything of value in my car -- those crackheads and theives don't play.

    There were three shootings last year around the convalescent home on Hazel. What ever came of that?

    A body was found in a Clarendon Park playground sewer drain last October and there was a big scene made about it. But did we ever hear anything more about that? Not that I know of. So am I just supposed to accept that there was a body found on my block? Sorry, I can't and won't. I'm concerned over this incident, and all of the other ones as well.

    The arguement CANNOT be that crime has gone down. So what? Does that erase all that has been going on around here lately? Leaving us to just accept that there are regular riots and bullets flying everywhere? You're out of your MIND if you expect nobody to be concerned about these things. But by responding "The crime rate is down" makes it seem as though you WANT us to say "The rate is down? Oh, okay.. forget my cause then. I'm happy with inaccurate statistics. I feel more secure now, for sure." GET REAL.

    Obviously Uptown residents are VERY unhappy with the violence and crime situation as of late, so although it may not be as bad as it used to be (according to like 2 or 3 people it seems) that does NOT mean we "newer" residents don't deserve competent representation and a safer neighborhood too. Sorry, but we won't accept an alderman who has succumbed to mediocrity.

    Helen Shiller isn't showing any concern for us or the neighborhood -- and that is her JOB. Plain and simple, no ifs, ands or buts about it. She is the most apathetic "leader" I've ever known to exist. Its almost as though she is determined not to cooperate with her constituents.. which seems dilusional! She just DOESN'T DO HER JOB. And then she lies that she DOES! When it is very evident that she does not! She must think we're idiots. She really has no place being in the office she's in.. someone who actually cares about the neighborhood (even just a little bit) would be better suited for the job any day.

    GET THIS WOMAN OUT OF OFFICE.

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  30. Keep the pressure on!!!

    2024 beat meeting Aug. 20th 7pm @ Margate Park 4921 Marine Dr. THAT'S TOMORROW

    2311 Beat meeting Sept. 1st 7pm @ Truman College 1145 Wilson

    2313 beat meeting Sept. 9th 7pm @ Clarendon Park 4501 Clarendon.

    There is no scheduled beat meeting for 2033's beat (North of Lawrence)

    There are links to the beat meetings at the bpttom of Uptown Update.

    Keep your voices heard the police will be behind you as long as you don't remain anonmyous!!! Call 911 and SIGN COMPLAINTS. Go to court. Judges like to see the community empowered!

    That is THE ONLY way to take back YOUR neighborhood!

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  31. Gituarjunkie- You are correct.
    Crime is not down the numbers are skewed!

    Officers are told to change the headings on their reports so to keep homicides, burglaries and robberies down.

    Homicides are reclassified as "death investigations".

    Robberies are reclassified as "theft from person".

    Burglaries are reclassified as "theft from building" "criminal tresspassing" or "unlawful entry"

    Shots Fired calls do not require any paperwork unless there is a complaintant.

    These numbers are altered to give the illusion that crime is down because the Olympic Committee looks at crime stats.

    Keep Daly accountable for his inactions. His security detail costs taxpayers 8 million dollars a year. As we saw played out on national news...when one of his ON DUTY CPD officers caught a fugative on the citys dime. Why is he being guarded by CPD officers making Sgt's. pay while he is vacationing in Michigan. He was NOT on city business and yet he has on-duty CPD officers guarding his family.

    Why aren't people outraged by this? It just faded away in media.

    WE DO NOT HAVE POLICE JURISDICTION IN MICHIGAN!!!!

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  32. Nod-

    UHM... It's illegal to volate someones civil rights. Punnishable by Federal time and law suits with punative damage (that means the police officer has to pay the money, not the city).

    Again....The liberal injustice system has taken our ability to sign complaints for disorderly conduct, stating, "A police offercers peace cannot be breached" Illinois Supreme Court

    So, here's what you can do to reclaim YOUR neighborhood...Stop calling 911 anonymously for police service.
    1) Leave your name and number with 911 so the officers can speak to you.
    2) Sign complaints
    3) Go to court! The judge can't convict or issue a warrant for arrest without the complaintant in court.

    P.S. loitering is NOT a crime per the U.S. Constitution 1st Amendment Freedom of Assembly.

    Chicago's loitering Law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 10th, 1999. The law was found unconstitutional. So If you Uptowners have any ideas I'm listening.

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  33. Apparently, the criminal injustice system believes that the gangbbangers 1st Amendments right of "freedom of assembly" trumps your right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Welcome to the injustice system where criminals rights are more important than law abiding taxpayers. Where the word of a career criminal/ganbanger supersedes the word of a police officer. Now you know how we feel.

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  34. Hey Fr.50-

    I hear what you're saying and I'm right there with you...I just have a general question you might be able to help with.

    When we call 911 and give our name/number, how common is for a responding officer to call back? I probably call 10 times a week, always leave my name and #, and never get called/asked for information...sometimes I even call 911 back to add more info I wish the cops had as I watch them search around for something.

    I'm not at all saying I'm dissatisfied, I'm just trying to figure out what circumstances an uptown officer would be inclined to take advantage of callers providing their contact info.

    Also--I appreciate your comments and insight. Thank you, and keep letting us know how we can help you do what you do...I have a feeling there are many of us who are listening and ready to act.

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  35. This was posted on secondcitycop.blogspot.com There is a post about Uptown and Shiller being run out of the 2016 meeting.

    Enjoy

    Anonymous said...
    This police officer salutes the residents of the 46th Ward/Uptown for taking an interest in their community and doing the right thing(Holding Their Elected Officials Accountable For the Disastrous State of Affairs in Chicago)


    These individuals didn't go on a blog and whine, they didn't take some Bullshit answer, smoke and mirrors, from Alderman Schiller, they demanded answers and accountability.

    Thank-You, each and everyone of you who stepped up and organized. This is what is desperately needed citywide to save Chicago and to save the CPD.

    Remember, the CPD is short 2,000+ police officers and this is just the beginning of what is coming.

    Ask any KNOWLEDGEABLE old school copper what they see and know.

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  36. New Kid on the block- we have our dispatchers call the people back when we arrive on the scene and there is no one flagging us down,or we can't find the complaintant, or when we do not see a crime being committed (bad guys are gone) We would like to talk to the complaintant to see if there was any direction of flight, or any other information.

    Many times our dispatchers call back and they get voice mail, so we give the job a code and go to the next job.
    I personally like to talk to the people in Uptown and to see what they have to say, and If you think hard you may just figure out who I am.

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  37. Two connected issues that might make a difference. Many people in our 'hood seem to be looking for things they can do but not endanger their families. Others want to do more but can't due to financial issues.

    Could a fund be set up to "reimburse" people for the time and money it takes for employed people to take the day off and go to court?

    Just an idea.....

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  38. Actually, there are three Jason's and I'm the coolest of them all! Let's all hope this ends on a good note for Uptown . . . with some action to stem the gangbanging and maybe, dare I say, a new Alderman! I wonder is she knows Tony Rezko . . .

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  39. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Uptown_Violence__Not_the_Everyday_Standard__Chicago.html


    The latest news post

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  40. 2024 beat meeting Aug. 20th 7pm @ Margate Park 4921 Marine Dr. THAT'S TOMORROW

    I hope the updater highlights this on the front page and encourages people to attend.

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  41. Stu Piddy-your long winded post at 9:49 am could possibly be one of the most ridiculous, incorrect posts I've ever seen on a blog anywhere. I wonder if the guy I arrested after he shot me twice would be considered a bad guy in your eyes. I wonder if the guy I arrested last night for cutting his ex-girlfirends throat would be considered a bad guy? I wonder if ANY of the felons the CPD arrests each and everyday across this city would be considered bad guys by you? And what does home ownership have to do with anything?
    Stu, GET A CLUE!

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