Friday, September 19, 2008

De-Policing! That's What They Call It

The Citizens Are Doing Their Job!
Police have received 10,000 more calls from people about shots being fired, and the number of calls about gang disturbances has jumped by nearly 4,000, according to the department documents.


You surely won't hear this at any CAPS meeting.

"It is de-policing," said city Alderman Isaac Carothers, who heads the committee that oversees the department. "They do their jobs, but they don't do their jobs as aggressively."
* Through the end of August, the department made 103,589 arrests (not including arrests for outstanding arrest warrants) compared with 117,971 for the same period last year, according to the department. The 5,600 guns recovered is roughly half as many as police seized in the same period in 2007, internal documents show.

* Bookings in the Cook County Jail - where the vast majority of inmates come from Chicago - are down, too. In all but one month this year, the number of people booked into the jail was down from the same month a year earlier, sometimes by hundreds, according to data obtained by the AP through a Freedom of Information Act request.

* Chicago has had 322 murders through Aug. 21, or 42 more than the number committed through the same date last year. Also, police have received 10,000 more calls from people about shots being fired, and the number of calls about gang disturbances has jumped by nearly 4,000, according to the department documents.

* But among the slew of statistics kept by the department are "self-initiated" calls, or those in which officers stop and question people about possible drug or gang activity. Department figures show the total is down by more than 3,700 from the same period last year.
Source.
Blognotes: This story answers a lot of questions I've been posing for months. The Chicago Police are not doing their job because they don't trust their $320,000 a year boss. And the Alderwuses and Mayor are doing nothing about it. All the while us citizens pay the price with higher crime and de-policing.

27 comments:

Isaac Marshall said...

What if there are less police? Would that contribute to less arrests and more crime?

And the idea that they don't like their boss is such a nonsense reason. If there is lower morale within the police dept., it probably is more complicated. No one ever wants to address the tough issues though, lets pick an easy scapegoat like the commissioner.

Bosworth said...

Check out the SecondCity Cop blog. That addresses all the issues.

RP Free Speech said...

Right, and good for you, bosworth, that you keep track of things with SSC. Also check secondcitysarge.blogspot.com. To put it kindly, the police are not fond of Jody Weis. Morale is low on other issues. They are short-handed and have not been able to master the Zen principle of being in two places at once.

Foot patrols are needed, but they are not being assigned. Perhaps if da Mare achieves his goal re: 2016 Olympics, that will change. But the feeling among the cops is, if 2016 happens, "We're dead."

What with all the social services groups placing people in Rogers Park, one would like to think THEY take some responsibility TEACHING parents how to raise children properly. That doesn't seem to be happening.

The only way? Continue to publicize the incidents (THANK YOU, CRAIG). Let the Commanders of various districts take some of the heat. Write them. Page upon page of "snail mail" can be more effective than shrugged-off e-mails.

Big Daddy said...

Weis is not a scapegoat, he is part of the problem. When he first came here I kept an open mind and hoped that he would succeed. I WANTED him to succeed. I wanted someone from the outside who was not part of the good old boy network. I hoped that he would be able to remove Daley from the equation. He didn't. Daley still runs this department. I hoped that he remove some of the dead weight and replace it with competent leadership. He didn't. While he did remove SOME dead weight he replaced it with more incompetence. He makes promises and then doesn't keep the promises. Rifles, new cars, the list is long. But the biggest mistake he made was Bill Cozzi. He will NEVER,EVER have the respect,admiration, trust and affection from the rank and file that a good leader needs to be successful. EVER! I've been on this job for nearly 30 years. I've served under several Superintendents. Some were good, some were OK. Moral was at times good, at times, OK. In the time that I've been here however, I've NEVER seen moral so low. Ever. Even when Leroy Martin was the boss. And I didn't think we could find a boss worse that him. We did.

Save Street End Beaches said...

What I'd like to know is if so many unions are against Daley, why does he keep getting elected.

Man On The Street said...

But the biggest mistake he made was Bill Cozzi.

Big daddy: truce. Who is Bill Cozzi?

Unknown said...

Morale is low within the department. As someone who spends quite a bit of time at departments throughout the city (although not here in Rogers Park), I consistently hear officers complain about Jody's policies. He tells them to be aggressive, but also has made it clear there will be hell to pay when they are accused of administering improper procedures. Their motivation has become to keep their jobs, which is most easily accomplished by avoiding confrontations with offenders unless absolutely necessary. As a result, the typical officer is not seeking out criminal behavior. Instead, they are only responding when ordered to do so.

I've spoken to many who take a lot of pride in their duties and want to do more, but the fear of the top boss encourages them to lay low and avoid situations that may later be unfairly questioned. The reverends and idiots on the south side that cry foul play everytime a cop fires a shot back when shot at certainly doesnt help the situation either.

Big Daddy said...

Bill Cozzi is the Officer that was caught on tape slapping a man in a wheel chair while he was sitting in an emergency room waiting for treatment. The guy was drunk, loud and obnoxious. Bill was suspended for two years with no pay. His attorney worked out an aggreement with the States Attorneys office in which he pled guilty to the charges, apologized in court to the man he slapped around and attended anger managment classes. The thing is, Bill was an excellent Officer with an unblemished record. He had some personal issues involving the death of a family member which may have lead him to do what he did. He served his country as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force overseas in the Middleast on three different tour of dutys.
Everybody agreed that Bill had been punished enough. The States Attorney, the judge, and even the so called victim. But Weis comes on board, reviews the case and calls his friends in the Justice Dept. Bill is indicted federally and is now looking at 8 years in federal prison. For a mistake and a momentary lapse of judgement.Weis originally denied any involment in the matter but later admitted that he made the call. He took it upon himself to circumvent a disciplinary process that was in place for years. He circumvented a legal decision made and agreed to by all parties concerned. He threw one of his own to the wolves.
Now keep in mind that I'm the last guy that would tolerate or try to justify police misconduct. I hate the Abatte's and Callahans of this world with a passion that you cannot believe. But the Bill Cozzi case was a miscarrige of justice. And for that, I will NEVER support Weis. Nor will most of the rank and file. If Bill Cozi somehow manages to get his job back, which I doubt, he can come on my team anytime. I will welcome him with open arms.

Big Daddy said...

One more thing. Nobody is more angry with Bill Cozzi than Bill Cozzi. He is embarrassed for what he did to the victim and the Chicago Police Department.

Man On The Street said...

Big daddy..

gotcha. I remember the Bill Cozzi case, the videotape, etc. If he's been suspended for two years with no pay, he's served his punishment.. and probably then some.

billyjoe said...

The reason cops are so lax in making busts in areas like East Rogers Park: They think any sane, law-abiding person who chooses to live in such a shitty, crime-ridden neighborhood is absolutely nuts.

I have to agree with them.

Big Daddy said...

Billy Joe, I have to disagree with you. Take all the now good neighbohoods. Bucktown, Wicker Park, Cabrini Green etc., etc. They were all once crime ridden hellholes. People took a chance, invested and all are nice neighborhoods. Rogers Park will one there one day. The only problem that I see that could prevent that is all the muliple family housing units. They attract vermin.If I could get my wife to agree, I too would be living in RP.

Fargo said...

Morale is low in MANY city departments for similar reasons: budget cuts, layoffs, having to do more work with fewer resources, equipment maintenance/shortage issues....

E! said...

2 YEAR suspension?
Only a union member could get something like that.
The rest of us would simply be fired.

Sorry BigDaddy, are we really to believe that this was the first time Bill ever raised his hand to a citizen?

Also, your bias is quite clear when you call the wheelchair-bound man "the so-called victim". Would you like it if Bill was depicted as a "so-called policeman"?

Razldazlrr said...

Yep - thank you Craig!! Very important to keep these issues out there. I read the article also - I want the police out there and stopping the people that "look" suspicious - they should be able to use their gut! I'm not police and don't really even know any but any outsider can see there is some problem when crime is so high and arrests so low

Razldazlrr said...

bigdaddy - I completely agree - there were lots of neighborhoods that had problems that are now great. I also detest the Section 8 housing, the bums, the homeless that harass me daily at the lake while I'm walking my dogs, and the multiple family homes. We need to keep working hard to get it out of our neighborhoods!!

Isaac Marshall said...

E!

you are a moron.

I have worked in the private and public sector. I have seen fist fights and sexual harrassment in both sectors.

I have seen an public employee fired for sexual misconduct.

I also saw a salesman in the private sector get a verbal "don't do that again" after punching another employee. He made alot of money for the company so they would never fire him.

Every situation is different and there are double standards everywhere. He got two years without pay, which is pretty harsh. You have no idea if he was a good officer or not. You have no idea what his history was. You just jump on a bandwagon based on assumptions and ignorance.

billyjoe said...

"If I could get my wife to agree, I too would be living in RP."

Poor excuse for what you really mean: BigDaddy is pussywhipped!

BillyJoe'sBrain said...

Better than being dickwhipped like you, billyjoe.

billyjoe said...

You projecting, Billyjoe's Brain?

Funny that you're the one with "dick" on your mind!

Big Daddy said...

Pussywhipped? I've been married for 35 years so I don't think "pussywhipped" would be a good term,lol. My wife and I do however consider each other partners. We respect each others opinion and if one doesn't want to do something, we don't do it. It's give and take. I do what I can to make her happy, she does what she can to make me happy. If not living in RP makes her happy, well then thats a small concession to ensure her happiness.



Fargo- This goes WAY beyond budget cuts, layoffs, etc. Those are the smaller parts of the problems.

Unknown said...

Second City Cop and Sarge are good sources for getting a feel of the enforcement-side problems we have here in RP. Effective, strong policing is too valuable a service to leave to a dissatisfied rank-and-file force. Anyone who wants Rogers Park to improve should support changes that will make our officers happy.

Tell somebody! Grammar is right about writing letters. District 24 contact:
Steve Caluris, Commander
6464 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60626
CAPS024District@chicagopolice.org

Wouldn't hurt to drop His Honor a line either.

Even if you compose no letter or email of your own, simply copy the text of this or other de-policing posts and stuff their inboxes with it.

Hugh said...

Washington Post coverage of CPD, Weis, and "de-policing."

Chicago Crime Up As Police Clash With New Boss

By Kari Lydersen, Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, September 21, 2008; Page A14

CHICAGO -- Crime rates are up from last year. Arrests, traffic stops and gun recoveries are down. And while there is dispute over the precise reasons, the union representing police officers in this city says it is partly because officers are doing their jobs gingerly, out of fear that the controversial police superintendent won't back them
if they face misconduct charges.

The slowdown is known as "de-policing," ...

More...

Tom Mannis said...

Lying - it's What you call what Craig and I Do!

darabbit said...

Why is it ALWAYS the low income housing, section 8 properties, multi family units etc that are blamed for the crime? Hmmmm don't remember too many of these units in Northbrook but still have the same issues. Hint hint! Everyone just sits behind there BLOGS and no one wants to get involved. How COURAGEous! How many of you go to the CAPS meetings? Not to many because ppl are afraid of retaliation. We need more things in our communities to assist ppl rather that run them out. Police need to DO THERE JOBS and so do we as members of the community, rather than WHINE about it on this BLOG. All walks of life deserve to live where they want! All walks of life. It is up to the parent to parent, the officer to guide/and or protect, the community to get involved and the teacher to teach. What happened to it takes a COMMUNITY to raise a child? Oh sorry wrong community and hmmm wrong pigment?

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