Several readers report hearing gunshots in Clarendon Park early this morning, not so coincidentally around the area where a Vice Lord was shot last week (rumor has it that said gangbanger is playing that old game of omerta / no-snitchin' with the cops).We urge everyone to make those calls when they see or hear trouble. Remember: CPD looks at the number of 911 calls when it determines where to deploy officers. A non-calling community is a safe community, in their eyes. Want more cops? Make more calls when things like this happen. And thank you to the many Uptown residents who do.
- "I live near the corner of Windsor and Hazel and was woken around 2:30 AM this morning to the sound of five loud gunshots. It sounded like the shots could have been coming from the Sunnyside and Hazel area - it is hard to say exactly. My husband called 911 to report it."
- "I just wanted to let you know that there were 5 shots fired near Hazel and Sunnyside last night at around 2:30 am. I immediately called 911 and the operator told me that police would check it out when they were available. She asked me if they might have been fireworks and I told here no, I'm sure they were gunshots. They sounded like they all came from one gun and there was no return fire. These were very loud, like from a large caliber weapon."
- "Heard what sounded like 5 shots outside my place this morning, at 2:30a. 911 operator sounded like half the neighborhood was calling it in."
I heard them as well.. I didn't call because I couldn't tell at all where they came from.
ReplyDeleteIf you're trying to differentiate shots from fireworks, my rule is the rate that the pops come at. Think about pulling the trigger 5 times. People tend to have a fairly even rate. Fireworks (in my experience) are either very fast, or slower than gunshot rate.
I also don't call for one pop. The guys around here don't seem to be "one shot, one kill" capable.
"I also don't call for one pop. The guys around here don't seem to be "one shot, one kill" capable."
ReplyDeleteUnless they've accidentally shot themselves, that is.
I called it in as well, woke me up at exactly 2:30, very loud, definitely a gun. Called 911 within seconds.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I would rather vote for a fence post then Shiller I put the blame of this violence square on Mayor Daley. Eight dead and 52 people shot in Chicago over the weekend. He is the one who can truly do something about this. Yet the solution is gun bans and gun drives. If we really want change he needs to be voted out. Hell, it is half because of him that Shiller keeps getting reelected.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Neil.
ReplyDeleteDaley and Jody Weiss are to blame.
GET MORE COPS ON THE STREETS!
Chicago PD claims they don't have the funds to hire officers. Guess its not in their "budget."
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that I agree that we need to get rid of Weis and Daley. They've done nothing but cause problems for Chicago. Also, I do agree with UU on this post. We all need to call 911 when we see/hear something. Like they said, the more calls, the more officers.
maybe we could hire a private 46th ward law enforcement department out of TIF funds instead of building a fish farm.
ReplyDeleteI think the return on investment from reducing crime would be much higher than from fish.
Office of Law Enforcement, 46th ward, or OLE'46.
I agree about hiring some type of law enforcement. Many buildings now I see have armed guards. If I lived on a block that had alot of gang problems and shoots being fired all the time I would try to get all the neighbors to pitch in and hire a security company to be there all the time where they can be seen in a patrol car. I seen it done in other areas and it really helped and made it safe.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you guys are getting involved and notifying the police. I hate to sound like a broken record, but hearing about this steady stream of violence and gunfire, really bothers me. I had planned to move back to Chicago, and was hoping to return to Uptown. I may have to rethink that decision.
ReplyDeleteGroups of neighbors have hired private security in the past (mid or late 80's, I believe).
ReplyDeleteThere isn't a law against it. But can you get enough people willing to foot the bill? Do they only provide security for those that paid or to the whole neighborhood?
"I just wanted to let you know that there were 5 shots fired near Hazel and Sunnyside last night at around 2:30 am. I immediately called 911 and the operator told me that police would check it out when they were available"
ReplyDeleteMaybe the police were busy answering calls about homeless sleeping in the park , or drinking on a public way .
To add to the problem, everytime a Taste of (xxx) Fest is held, there goes all of our Tact. team Officers to babysit these fests. These are the Cops that are supposed to be responding to these gun and gang problem calls. They pull them from all of the Districts citywide, leaving many areas short of Police protection.
ReplyDelete911: "Police will check it out when they are available ?" We are on our own this summer, dont expect any help from Helen or Mayor Mumbles !
I agree with Neil.
ReplyDeleteDaley and Jody Weiss are to blame.
GET MORE COPS ON THE STREETS!
Chicago PD claims they don't have the funds to hire officers. Guess its not in their "budget."
I am not making an opinion but do think about this. Each police officer in wages, benefits, equipment, insurance and on costs the city $150,00 a year. To get the police department back up to being fully staffed would cost $450 million a year. Lets say there are 1.5 million taxable properties in Chicago. The cost would be an extra $300 per property a year. Then next year when health care costs rise 4 times the rate of inflation, what happens, another increase.
The Chicago Public Schools have a $700 million deficit, the CTA has a $200 million dollar deficit, the general city budget has a multi hundred million dollar deficit. The infrastructure is falling apart.
Whether you blast Daley, Weis or not. The police are not coming back. It is something we have to deal with whether we like it or not. All American cities are in this predicament.
Just imagine how far the more than One Billion Dollars that are sitting in TIF slush funds would go to alleviate these shortages.
ReplyDeleteI am not trying to argue but I am trying to make the point that the money is not there.
ReplyDeletethe upcoming pension contributions the city is going to have to make are going to be in the field of $700 milion a year.
If the city got rid of all TIF's which is not realistic, as they often are often good tools for development, that money could not be used for general spending on the budget.
No matter what we are going to have to get used to staffing levels for the police at best what they are now.