In a quest to raise reward money for people who provide tips about gun trafficking into Chicago, Superintendent David Brown on Monday bluntly welcomed help from the city’s business and civic elite.
“As an aside, I hear this crowd has a little bit of coin. You guys are not broke,” Brown said, drawing a little laughter and a gasp of “Oh my” from some 150 people attending a City Club event downtown. “I would encourage (you) in your philanthropic endeavors.”
Brown was talking about a tip line that’s in the works, as well as his department’s partnership with Cook County Crime Stoppers, which offers reward money for information.
These were among the myriad issues he discussed in his approximately 30-minute speech to Chicago’s business and civic community, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who introduced her top cop.
Among topics raised were Brown’s ongoing efforts to combat Chicago’s gun violence, which, police statistics show, is on pace to be higher by the end of the year than a disastrous 2020. Through Sunday, Chicago recorded 602 homicides, up from 580 during the same period last year, the statistics show. And so far, this year, 3,368 people were shot, compared with 3,049 at the same time in 2020, a 10% jump. The data doesn’t include violence on the area expressways.
One of the crime-fighting efforts Brown talked about was how his narcotics units handle large-scale investigations into drug-dealing, a big catalyst for violence. He also defended the Police Department’s methods of combating street gangs. Those strategies have been controversial, as reflected by a recent city audit of the police’s gang database that showed it has been riddled with errors and discriminates against Black and brown communities.
Brown doubled down on his officers’ efforts, championing a new ordinance — introduced by Lightfoot but staunchly criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois — that would allow authorities to sue street gangs and seize property from people who police deem to be engaged in gang activity.
“We as a city have a responsibility to use all of our laws, civil as well as criminal, to stand up for victims of gang violence,” said Brown. “Any property that is directly or indirectly used to facilitate gang activity, we will go after.”
But he reconciled that effort by saying the department has made it a priority “to support and advocate for communities that have been historically marginalized.” He also addressed the department’s reform efforts under a federally mandated consent decree, and how it’s “taking a big swing at community policing” to improve the way officers work with residents.
In a question-and-answer session, Brown acknowledged how the department has lost about 1,000 officers in the last few years since rate of hiring has not kept up with retirements. Hiring gains begun during the final years of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration have been obliterated.
In December 2019, when Lightfoot fired Brown’s permanent predecessor, Eddie Johnson, the department had 13,188 sworn officers, compared with 12,140 now, according to data from the city’s inspector general’s office.
Brown said the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled hiring, though the city’s largest police union has argued that city leaders don’t back cops, contributing to low morale and accelerated retirements. Brown said the department will have an in-person entrance exam next month for the first time since the pandemic began.
He urged “friends, family and others” to help the department recruit a more diverse group of officers.
“Not many millennials and Gen-Zs are looking at policing. So, we need your help at uplifting the profession,” Brown said. “Don’t give us a pass. But when we do well, we’d sure like to be acknowledged when we risk our lives.”
He also addressed tension between the police and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, both of whom have been criticized by many cops who believe they’ve been too lenient on criminal suspects. Brown has previously criticized the criminal justice system, including the courts, for letting too many suspects out on bail.
Brown’s comments on Monday were more measured.
“One thing that I would caution all of us, that I’ve taken my own advice as well, is picking a fight with the state’s attorney and the chief judge is not healthy,” Brown said. “I know it feels good to say, you know, ‘lock ‘em up. Throw away the key.’ That is not what these elected officials were elected to do.”
He said department officials have a meeting this week with Foxx and Evans about how to work together to prosecute gun traffickers and other criminals.
"Give" - Google News
September 28, 2021 at 06:38AM
https://ift.tt/3AMvbFm
Police Superintendent Brown: ‘Don’t give us a pass. But when we do well, we’d sure like to be acknowledged’ - Chicago Tribune
"Give" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqGX80
https://ift.tt/2YquBwx
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Police Superintendent Brown: ‘Don’t give us a pass. But when we do well, we’d sure like to be acknowledged’ - Chicago Tribune"
Post a Comment