Saturday, July 13, 2013

Lawrence/Sheridan Gang Arrests

Hopefully this will help quiet things down around Lawrence & Sheridan and Argyle, which have been averaging a shooting every six weeks or so, since January.  Nice work, coppers!

From Ald. Osterman's Friday newsletter:

"Yesterday, the Chicago Police Department conducted an undercover operation targeting the north Uptown Area near Lawrence and Sheridan. This operation targeted 20 individuals associated with narcotic sales and gang activity. The police have arrested 14 individuals as part of this sting and are in the process of apprehending the remainder. A number of these individuals are also involved in illegal activity in the Argyle area.

This effort will help address the ongoing safety problems in Uptown and around Argyle Street, including the recent shootings in front of the J.J.Peppers at Lawrence and Sheridan. 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman and I are meeting with the owners of this strip mall and the police commanders next week to address this incident in detail.

I want to commend the efforts of Chicago Police Department, including Commanders James Jones (20th) and Commander Voulgaris (19th) as well as Superintendent Garry McCarthy in addressing the criminal gang and drug activity in this part of our neighborhood. Similar to other undercover operations conducted in recent years, this recent sting was sparked by concerns and reports given by community members committed to ending negative activity in our neighborhoods.

If you have any questions or have more information regarding suspicious or criminal activity, please reach out to Marko Zaric of my staff by calling (773) 784-5277 or emailing Marko@48thward.org."

18 comments:

  1. I don't have much faith in these "arrests" because it's a revolving door. These guys get arrested, get a citation for loitering or pay bail, pay a fine and they're back out on the streets. It's a joke.

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  2. James Cappleman and Harry Osternman, especially Mr. Osterman, these arrests are a positve step. It is very much appreciated. Congratulations and thank you to the police department. It is a good move after the police failure to prevent the daylight shooting at Lawrence and Sheridan, a couple of weeks ago.

    I hope this means that the city is now willing to but more resources into ending this gun violence.

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  3. You might be right Lianna, but I still feel this is a positive step for Uptown. Arrests of this quantity certainly will make it harder for the gangs to conduct their business in the area. A revolving door yes, but I'm sure it is more than just a minor incontinence to be arrested and I can only hope that if large scale operations like this continue, then perhaps the hassle of doing business in Uptown will encourage the gangs to work (and fight) elsewhere. I realize that my comment is inherently pessimistic, as just shifting gangs to another part of the city is far from ideal, but at this point I just want to see some change to our community.

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  4. Lianna is right - this is a band aid on a bullet wound (no pun intended).

    These idiots will be back on the street in no time.

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  5. They do this every year these kids might hang out on lawrence an sheridan but one thing i no they arent shooting at each other.these people are from another place coming on lawrence trying to shoot them the shootings arent being done by lawrence kids

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  6. People are shooting at the kids from lawrence its not them.they are most certainly not shooting at each other

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  7. Lianna----this may be your perception of what happens. Have you ever followed them through the court system? Have you ever volunteered to do so?

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  8. JJ Peppers and the pantry across the street need to step up their duty to be good neighbors. This corner is attracting itinerants from all over the city.

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  9. americanlt: May be you should do your duty and attend the community meetings, then you will know that JJ Peppers is very proactive in helping solve the problem. It is easy to point fingers but everyone should do their part and step up to these gangs.

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  10. Devon, I admit they do have the security man with the gun. However, are they serving booze responsibly? A high % of violent crime offenders are drunk at time of offense.

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  11. americanlt . I stop by JJ Peppers to grab my wine when I go to the local BYOB in the neighborhood. Have you been inside and looked at what type of alcohol they sell? The bigger issue here are the gangs and the drug dealers in the neighborhood not just at Lawrence and Sheridan. These are organized crimes which I highly doubt your statement "A high % of violent crime offenders are drunk at time of offense." In any case, Good job with the arrests CPD.

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  12. This does not solve da problem at all u guys lock Lawrence up for enjoying da summer we didn't ask to get shot at every week I guarentee dis is not goin to solve anything except makin it easier for the another gangs to attack whats left of Lawrence police sit n watch Lawrence for all those months n didn't once catch one of da shooters from those incidents I know That it's not right to sell drugs but go after the murders police have dis fucked up thing n their head where they think if u sell drugs you shoot guns the police are takin fathers away from their kids while people that have shot at Lawrence sit around free i jus don't feel this is fair

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  13. Armanisdad, it is not an either do this OR that... it is to do both. And if you don't think that the selling of drugs on that corner is one of the main reasons for all these shootings, you are crazy. These 'dads' you speak of are making a choice, for both them and their children.

    I hope they also start arresting for pissing in alleys, public drinking, et. If you break a law, you break a law... arrest 'em all.

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  14. I agree with Lianna that it does seem like we hear about the same criminals coming back in to Uptown over and over after short stints in jail or after no jail time at all. However, I would much rather have an Alderman that supports continued policing and arresting of these gang-bangers instead of the last Alderman that supported the gang bangers trade by flooding the neighborhood with drug and alcohol treatment centers. Then of course she would show up to the gangbangers funerals or pay for vans to drive them to the polling place to make sure they kept voting for our absentee alderman. Of course she was too busy to show up for her own office hours.

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  15. People on lawrence arent getting shot because of drugs thats all yall talk about yeah its wrong but thats not why there getting shot at do your research first before you talk lawrence is not the worst part of uptown walk around you will be surprised its worst on wilson

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  16. The cops and the community don't want shootings or drug sales on Lawrence. It's a shopping center. We want to be able to shop there, eat there and not see illegal stuff. We'd like to go to the dry cleaner without passing through an open air drug market. People open businesses there. People work there. That's the expectation we have. Don't want to get shot? Want to come home to your kids at night? Don't blame the cops for the arrests. Stop doing illegal stuff and it's kind of like magic happens: you don't have to worry about being arrested.

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  17. Then why don't you enlighten us Save Winthrop - why are people getting shot on Lawrence? Because I was under the impression that when gangs supply drugs to our neighborhood, turf wars, retaliations, and other violent crime ensues. Perhaps no body was dealing drugs actively when the last shots were taken, but if there was less dealing in the area I bet there'd be fewer gangbangers walking around.

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    1. These peolpe have family ties thats y there around there have been drugs being sold on these corners sense the 80's this nothing new its not about money at all there money everywhere ask the bangers from the 80's that started all this people jus dont lik each other thats all it is its not about drugs drugs are just fast money

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