Thursday, September 11, 2008

* Daily Group Fight by Sullivan High School

3:47 PM: Apparently the honor roll students are at it again today. A large fight is occurring in front of Sullivan High School.

4:02 PM: 911 caller says 10 to 15 males and females fighting at Morse and Ashland. One may have a gun.

22 comments:

Man On The Street said...

Everyday at about the same time and the cops can't figure it out?

Levois said...

If they're honor roll students and they're fighting them I'm concerned about what our colleges are going to look like in the future.

Anonymous said...

I think our future is already screwed, which we can thank the ACLU for a lot of it.

DorothyParker007 said...

isn't it bring a gun to school day?

Charlie Didrickson said...

I'd love to know who calls this stuff in...

I have a feeling it's much more harmless than not (most of the time)

I suspect these kids are like many other kids in the city. A bit raucous and usually too loud for anybodies good. That said I think some neighbors are simply annoyed for a 1/2 hour a day and it wrecks their ability to concentrate on General Hospital or some other TV program. So the call the fuzz...

Bet I'm right.

mcl said...

Hey Charlie,
You've got it REAL wrong! I was in my car this afternoon with my scanner on, as the calls came in. Most of the calls were coming in from beat cars and tach cars on the street, monitoring the crowds of youth (they were referring to them as gangs) and there were several fights that had to be dealt with. And yes, there was a POLICE report of a gun at one point. I also drove through the area and witnessed much of the unruliness and fighting personally. There is a serious problem here and it's not as you describe

Charlie Didrickson said...

Fair enough Mike

I've been wrong before and I will be wrong again. I'm not saying there is NO PROBLEM it's just that sometimes kids are just being kids. I think some people don't know the diff...

ck said...

I know what we need-- more red light cameras!

Max said...

kernel32: "I think our future is already screwed, which we can thank the ACLU for a lot of it."

Finally all of your comments make perfect sense to me.

JVonAshland said...

There's no doubt that the 'ruckus' on Ashland has been gang related...based on the arrests I've seen from my front window with guns being confiscated, to the blood trail down my side walkway from someone who was hiding, and of course the police scanners and reports.

And yet, these posts are all reactions.

There are multitudes of other just plain school kids who are bystanders going home from school. And they join the multitudes of homeowners, business owners, and renters who just want to live in a peaceful neighborhood without violence in the streets, litter in their front yards, and open drug dealing and prostitution occuring in plain sight day and night.

How about some community action? CAPS and neighborhood meetings haven't done much, have they?

We, as people concerned enough to post on this blog, owe it to everyone in the neighborhood to do our part contacting 911 when we see a wrongdoing. In addition, we need to stand out in the streets, our front yards, and be visible during times we know might attract trouble so we can deter, or at the least report these problems as soon as possible.

Rogers Park has both a beautiful and a scarred recent history. Its what attracted me to it years back. Its at a turning point being one of the most diverse communities in the city, but still marred with neglect by both our local govt and police.

It's time we take it into our hands. Let's let Joe Moore and the police department hear, over and over and over, our concerns.

And if they dont want to listen, Let's let him know his time is numbered until the next election. Let's let them all know we'll no longer stand for slumlords, crooked deals, and police negligence to act in certain housing units.

Rogers Park was once the most coveted piece of Chicago... Maybe we can act together to make it happen again, rather than argue on the blogs.

JV

Pamela said...

I have no idea if these incidents are gang-related but I've had a front row seat to the fighting on Ashland for several years. I've never called cops on loud groups of kids, kids arguing or even worked up a bit.Those incidents break up quickly. But I have called the police on groups of kids jumping on cars, and I've called when I've seen blood). Earlier this year there were very large groups roaming Ashland with fights breaking out for about an hour plus and it was kind of scary. I didn't think the kids would come after me but I wasn't interested in being in the middle of their fights. So, the dogs crossed their legs while we waited for it to be over. Now that's pathetic: I couldn't walk my dogs for over an hour in broad daylight because kids on a rampage had taken over the streets. My older, wiser neighbor, however, tells me that they used to fight like that back in the day in Lakeview too. I dunno that I'm buying his stories though.

What I do know is that a lot of kids around here are packing or pretending that they are packing. That's sad.

Chase said...

People in RP don't tend to over-react. If anything, they under-react. They tolerate chronic problems of this sort. WHen I moved here (again) in the mid-90's I thought things were improving, but I don't see that anymore. What's happened?
Chase

Big Daddy said...

"Everday at the same time and the cops can't figure it out?"

Another well thought out and insightful comment by 'man on the street". Now if he only had a clue as to what he was talking about, it WOULD be an insightful comment. Instead it's nothing more than the usual emptyheaded rhetoric by someone who doesn't even know what he doesn't know. But here, let me help you man on the street. Virtually EVERY single public high school in this city requires almost every police car in the district that high school is situated in during dismissal time to maintain order and to prevent complete chaos. Every single one. Man on the street, we KNOW what time these kids get out of school. And we have our Officers there. From appx. 2:00 till 3:00 every single day in most police districts, there are no cars available for other things because they are tied up at high schools baby sitting these little goofs. High schools are a HUGE drain on our resources each and everyday and a major pain in the butt. But you knew that right? Oh, you didn't? Well then do a little research next time and learn a little something about the subject matter before you spout off. BTW, what public high school did you attend?

BillyJoe'sBrain said...

Maybe Didrickson can stop by after school and see these raucous scamps in action. I mean, this happens at every high school, right? That said, expecting the police to waste time and resources watching our "future" at the end of the school day is stupid. Larger socioeconomic forces are at work here.

Man On The Street said...

Sooo, crowd control is not one of the PDs talent? So apparently you are at a loss to stop the mass fighting because it's happening like clockwork every single day at approximately the same time. So the presence of "almost every single police car in the district" isn't enough to stop 10-15 males (number according to "Broken Heart") from fighting.

Speaking of emptyheaded rhetoric...

I stand by what I said.

Oh, and I went to CVS in the 70s. Does that help?

JVonAshland said...

Pamela and Chase have both made excellent points...

There's a larger problem out there than just 'kids being kids'. And its not just the recent issues with kids fighting in the streets, jumping on cars, etc.

We can be mad, scared, upset, or angry at each other but nothing is going to improve our neighborhood without our individual action.

That means not giving up on the police, not being passive and saying "This is Rogers Park - get used to it", and it also means we need to show our Alderman what a term limit means.

911 and police calls to 'slum-lord owned' buildings like the one I live next to go un-checked throughout the community. Domestic abuse, drug deals, kids fighting, and prostitution seem to take second billing next to parking tickets and traffic violations. We know why...

In the meantime, we can argue and moan about the problems surrounding us or we can be present to prevent them. Hell, we've got the time to post, why don't we have the time to be out front when things are looking messy to be proactive, call police, yell at potential kids 'acting foolish' and let the community know that there are people watching. Most importantly, why don't we tell Mr. Moore via email, phone calls, and in person when he's handing out candy at the Morse el stop that his time is numbered as a city employee unless some real action is taken...

My two cents. I'm a dreamer, but a true believer when we act as one things can get done. The neighborhood has come a long way so far -- why give up?

JV

Big Daddy said...

10-15 males fighting, yes, perhaps more. At each school. 25-30 Police Officers working, give or take a few, at any given time, spread out at those schools. Hmmmm. I wonder who the odds favor. But what do I know. I'm only one of those guys struggling to make your neighborhood as well as others just a little bit better as opposed to some who sit at a keyboard posting ridiculous questions or comments. CVS in the 70's? Things have changed just a little bit since then.

ekay said...

I find it funny that the blogger wants young people to have more respect for themselves and others, yet he constantly degrades them in his posts. Maybe more kids would join the Football team--time spent on the field, not the streets--if we supported their efforts instead of mocking them. Teens are people, too. Their crappy home-lives often lead to their finding mutual support in the streets. Maybe if they felt like the community supported them, despite the failures of their families, they would reciprocate by supporting their community. Just saying that the attitude in your blog perpetuates the core problem.

MadeInRogersPark said...

If these problems areon going what is the LSC doing to prevent this problem? The administration? What about delayed dismissal time? Dismiss 3rde floor classes.......wait 15 minutes....dismiss 2nd floor......15 more minutes....dismiss the rest....yes it might cost a little more....Yes the teachers might have to stay a little bit later....
but if we are looking at the safety of students well what is there to lose?
I am not even sure if Sullivan has a 3rd floor. We can do better as a community and the long journey begins with only one small step.

Man On The Street said...

10-15 males fighting, yes, perhaps more. At each school. 25-30 Police Officers working, give or take a few, at any given time, spread out at those schools.

then if you're undermanned, how about saying THAT instead of some vague babbling (" Virtually EVERY single public high school in this city requires almost every police car in the district.." And?...) And if that's all you have to offer as a way of explanation, then perhaps you should remain behind your computer as well. It' where you do your best work.

Big Daddy said...

Give it up man on the steet. You were exposed as the nitwit that you are. Accept it and move on. Stop trying to weasel your way out of it by making stupid, snide little comments that only confirm that you don't have a clue as to what you talking about. Go away. Try CVS. Maybe they will accept you. Again.

darabbit said...

Hey finally someone who has some sense! JV I totally agree. While these bloggers take there time towhine and discuss the issues in the neighborhood, no one acts on it except call the cops. ARE THESE THE SAME COPS THAT DON'T WANNA DO THERE JOB BECAUSE THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING SUED? As one blogger indicated on the post of DE Policing. JVON ASHLAND I agree, people need to gt involved and not just for some unnecessary yelling or arguing, you're right probably bothers the folks that are gardening, watching soaps etc! We ultimately have to assist our community by not speaking on this blog HOPING JOE MOORE is listening, since it seems that everyone is blaming. But I'm sure these will be the same folks that vote for " MORE OR THE SAME" No comment lames

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