Chicago disgrace

Been away for a little while. I was a bit busy with selling a house and buying a new one, and just got access to the Internet again late yesterday.

With that in mind I'm going to stop the top ten countdown for the moment and speak on a new issue that has come up.

The closings of police stations to save money.

See when I read the first hints that the 013th district and 021st districts were slated for the axe I didn't really bat an eye. They are two old antiquated buildings in areas of relatively low crime. I felt bad for the officers who would be displaced but I actually saw the sense in shutting down small stations to save money (savings in heat, electric, maintenance, etc).

Then I read that the 019th district, the one I work in was slated to close as well. Well that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. It has a range in it, a lock up that houses female prisoners from all around the northside districts, has gas pumps to refuel the squad cars and a repair garage to keep the fleet moving. I still wasn't that angry about it because it is a big tract of land and if the city truly closed it down and sold the land they stood to get quiet a sum of money. The station is not that old, in fact it's younger than I am, but if it saved money I would be willing to sacrifice and work somewhere else.

Then the announcement that it is not closing, but will be housing all the northside detectives. I thought "Where is the savings gained on that?" "What about the upstairs of Area 5, or the 25th district? Is that just going to remain empty?"

Now this just doesn't make sense. See the city keeps saying they are putting more "boots on the ground." and "streamlining the force". Bull Sh*t!

Will the 019th, 021st, and 013th districts lose police, no I don't think they will. Will it take longer to get to you if you need help fast and the night happens to be busy? Absolutely. Take as an example, you need help and are at say Wrightwood and Clybourn. Currently that is about a 3 minute trip driving fast coming from the Belmont and Western Station, about 45 seconds with lights and sirens and low traffic. Now under the new plan let's say the car that is assigned to patrol that area is in the new station, at Addison and Halsted, how fast are they going to be able to get there if they get the assignment? I'm guessing based on my experience, even with lights sirens and favorable traffic it's going to take a minimum of 5 minutes for that car to get there, if the gods are with you maybe a car is closer and available and you might get service quicker. But lets say there is a Cubs game letting out, now that same car has to get through vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic and even with lights and sirens the best you can hope for is at absolute best 7-8 minutes but probably closer to 15 minutes. That extra car that might be closer to you? Forget it there is a Cubs game letting out, everyone available is busy with other things. So if you are being robbed, beaten or raped you now have to fend for yourself for between 7 - 15 minutes before help arrives instead of 45 seconds to 3 minutes.

Does anyone know what a robber or rapist can do with an extra 10 to 15 minutes? I do and it isn't pretty.

Am I bitter I'm being moved? Not really I've been doing this a long time, I'll be doing it for years to come unless I get fired for writing this, my whole concern is with you, the citizens of the city of Chicago and your safety.

Oh and by the way just announced today several top positioned police and fire and mayoral aides receive an average of 9% raises in this same budget, the police got an average of 1.5% and waited 2 1/2 years to get that. Makes you think just how much are things changing? How much have the aldermen sacrificed for you, the voting base? Have they given back their expense accounts and said "I'll pay my own way?" No. Have they said let's look at reducing the number of wards and streamline that so less of us draw funds from your taxes? Not even close.

It's time to wake up Chicago, your safety is being compromised and the top echelon is still sitting pretty.