“The Cambridge officer acted stupidly.” President Barack Obama was speaking about a confrontation between a black Harvard professor, Lewis Gates and a white sergeant of police, James Crowley responding to a call of a suspicious man.
This was the proverbial shot heard around the Criminal Justice world. It was the introduction of the anti-police movement in the United States and it changed policing forever in President Obama’s hometown of Chicago.
Let’s compare current statistics with the recently implemented changes of policing.
From April 5th to April 11th, there have been 64 people shot and 22 killed on the streets of Chicago.
The use of the Broken Window Theory was curtailed because of its frequent use in the black police districts in Chicago: this is a Criminal Justice theory that proved arresting individuals for minor criminal actions will prevent escalation to major crimes. The theory was very successful but disproportionally arresting black criminals was seen as racism on the part of Chicago Police, and as such, it was eliminated.
From April 1st to April 9th, 90 people have been shot, 26 killed in Chicago.
The use of the Terry Stop, more commonly known as Stop and Frisk has been outlawed because of its racial implications. A disproportional number of blacks were more frequently stopped by police officers than whites. The activist, the ultra-liberal media, and Chicago’s progressive politicians labeled this racist. The use of stop and frisk was eliminated even though blacks commit almost 68 percent of all violent crime in Chicago.
From January 1st to April 11th, a total of 619 people have been shot and 116 have been killed in the Windy City.
If police do make a traffic or street stop, a two-page report is required and has to be completed identifying the Constitutionally acceptable reason for the stop. This paperwork is immediately forwarded to a retired federal judge for his scrutiny and approval.
There is a person shot in the great city by the lake every 3 hours and 54 minutes.
Under a federal decree, that was initiated by Chicago’s mayor previous to her election, the city of Chicago will fundamentally alter policing and hand control of the Chicago Police Department to radical anti-police groups, all with the blessings of the mayor and the progressive leftwing city council members.
There is a person shot and killed every 19 hours in Chicago.
The city of Chicago used to administer police tests every few years and from that list of several thousands, they would draw replacements for years to come. Now a day, the city is scrounging to find applicants to fill positions once held by officers that now retire prematurely. Chicago police officers normally would retire after 30 years on the job to maximize their pensions. It is now common for officers to leave at the minimum of 20 to 25 years.
The minimal requirements for being a Chicago police officer have reached ridiculously low acceptance levels. Criminal histories of theft and drug arrests are now acceptable. Minimum education is required. The city had even set up a hotline to call applicants the day of the test so that they wouldn’t oversleep.
Between the reneged promise of lifetime insurance assistance, the propensity for Chicago’s progressive politicians to fire and indict officers for carrying out their legal duties, and the probability of having no pension upon retirement, Chicago is having a very difficult time finding individuals who want to be police officers.
The pendulum has swung, and swung too far left.
To all my brothers and sisters in blue, lock and load and protect one another. As always, stay safe.
– Larry Casey
View Larry Casey’s website at www.StoriesofaChicagoPoliceOfficer.com and review his book by the same name.
