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Budget Preview Part II - Police Accountability
Fighting Rodents
Midnight Alcohol Sales Ban
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Dear Neighbor,
This morning Mayor Emanuel gives his annual budget address to City Council. You can view his live remarks here. Next Monday, we begin extensive public hearings with all city department heads for several weeks.
One of the most important discussions will concern city worker contracts, especially those with our police. As I wrote in a previous newsletter, almost all of our city's collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) have expired and are being negotiated.
The cost of accountability and discipline is as important as wages and benefits, particularly in the police department. Of the 28,567 allegations of misconduct filed against CPD officers between March 2011 and September 2015, only 2% resulted in actual discipline, after what was frequently a multi-year process. Taxpayers have been saddled with a billion dollars in settlements and verdicts due to police misconduct. Clearly, reforming this process will promote substantial justice in our city, and will also save us money.
These issues were a key focus of both the Justice Department's report on Police Misconduct in Chicago and Mayor Emanuel's Police Accountability Task Force report. The Task Force found the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the police unions created unnecessary barriers to curtail police misconduct.
The Task Force recommended eliminating or revising thirteen CBA provisions, among them: no anonymous complaints, allowing officers to provide accounts of shootings 24-hours after the incident, allowing officers to change their statements after seeing video or audio, limitations on questioning,
erasing records of alleged police misconduct, and no disclosure of secondary income, among others.
Changing these provisions will safeguard the public and save taxpayers money, which will free up funds for other purposes, from paying down debt, hiring more police or improving our schools and parks.
I welcome the
announcement
that Mayor Emanuel intends to seek increased funding for police training in the 2018 budget, and look forward to receiving the details. Inadequate training, as I have noted before, was the #1 criticism of the Chicago Police Department by the Task Force as well as the Department of Justice.
To bring the discussion of police accountability to our community, I am co-sponsoring, along with the
Coalition for Police Contracts Accountability,
an interactive workshop featuring roleplaying and eyewitness testimony. The workshop will be held November 8, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church. Please join us to learn more about this important issue, which will be a key part of the upcoming budget.
Rat Abatement Update
Since becoming your Alderman in 2011,
8,766
requests for rodent baiting have been filled in our Ward
. Requests in the 43rd Ward hit an all time high of 1,648 in 2012.
Working closely with the Departments of Buildings and Streets and Sanitation,
the numbers fell through 2016, but have increased this year. Thus far in 2017, the City overall has received 39,000 rat complaints.
In 2015, I spearheaded legislation mandating new construction sites have repeated on-site rodent abatement when evacuation begins until the foundation is laid. We also informed constituents about feral cats.
In 2016, the City
added crews to the Bureau of Rodent Control, with the goal of responding to baiting requests within 5 days.
Most recently, we are removing
a parkway landscape that was known as a nest for rodents at the corner of Belden and Clark. Concrete will be poured over this structure soon.
Additionally, our office has requested 554 new black garbage and 192 new blue recycling carts through in 2017. So far, 215 black and 178 blue carts have been replaced. Proper maintenance of garbage carts, bins, and dumpsters is critical to decreasing rodents and additional carts will be part of the city budget this year, as will additional crews.
Here is what you can do to limit rodents' access to food:
- Immediately clean up and disposal of pet waste;
- Do not leave pet food uncovered and outdoors;
- Properly dispose of old tires, lumber, and other debris piles;
- Completely close trash cans
As residents to business owners, we all need to continue the fight against rodents. Please continue to request rodent abatement when the need arises, by calling our office, or by clicking here to file a 3-1-1 request.
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Successful Inaugural LPHS Homecoming Parade
We had a wonderful time marching with students and neighbors last week in Lincoln Park High School's first ever
Homecoming Parade!
Special thanks to Principal Boraz, families, and community members.
Show your support for LPHS at the
Conference Championship game this
Thursday, October 19
at 7:15 p.m. at Lane Stadium, located at 2601 W. Addison Street.
Go Lions!
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Sale Ban on Single-Serving Alcoholic Beverages After 12AM
I co-sponsored a new ordinance banning sales of single-serve liquor and wine less than 25 fluid ounces; and single-serve beer less than 41 ounces after 12:00 a.m., midnight. The ordinance helps prevent late night patrons from buying drinks from packaged goods stores after being denied drinks at establishments.
You can read press coverage
here
.
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19th District Safety Alert - Motor Vehicle Thefts
The
19th District Police have issued an alert regarding 12 reported motor vehicle thefts in the last month.
In these incidents, unknown offender(s) targeted and took the victim(s) legally parked vehicles.
While most of these thefts occurred outside our ward, one of them occurred in the 900 block of West Wrightwood on October 4, 2017 in the evening. No description of the offender has been supplied.
Most car thefts are of cars left unlocked. It is very important to:
- Check that your car is locked before walking away;
- Keep personal property locked away and out of public view;
- Be aware of your immediate surrounding and park in well-lit, public areas;
- Call 9-1-1 immediately with detailed description of any suspicious individual.
Click here for more information.
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Trebes Park Receives an Outstanding Garden Award
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Welcoming New Businesses to Clark Street
2485 N. Clark Street
Casual Food, opening soon.
Women's boutique. opening Friday evening.
Click
here
to see their website.
Amazon has a second location in Lincoln Park for secure order pick-up, in-person customer service, and order returns.
Click
here for more store information.
43rd Ward Events & Updates
Friends of Lincoln Elementary
Teacher Bartender Night
2249 N. Lincoln Avenue
Friday, October 20, 2017
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
A fundraising event for Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, a
ll bartender tips go toward Friends of
Lincoln, Inc., please bring cash!
St. James Lutheran Church and School
Admissions Coffee
2101 N. Fremont Street
Thursday, October 26, 2017
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
L
earn about
PreK-8th grade
academic programs, tour the
school, and meet current parents at
St. James Lutheran School as they host
prospective families on Thursday, October 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m
. Childcare will be provided.
Cl
ick here
to RSVP.
43rd Ward and DePaul University Hosts
Immigration:
Know
Your
Rights Workshop
2400 N. Sheffield Avenue
Thursday, October 26, 2017
4:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The 43rd Ward partners with DePaul University, Resurrection Project, and Heartland Alliance. The event details a free and confidential legal immigration screening with interpreters at DePaul's Welcome Center on
Thursday, October 26, from 4:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Feel free to share
this
flyer with friends or family members who would be interested. To schedule an appointment for a FREE legal immigration screening, please call Clinton Sanchez at (773) 325-1588. This event is open to the public.
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See you in the neighborhood and Go Cubs!
Michele Smith
Alderman, 43rd Ward
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43rd Ward Office Hours: M 9 AM - 7 PM, T-F 9 AM - 6 PM
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