Mandating public
12-Feb-2020 13:39
There is no greater responsibility for any government than ensuring the safety of its constituents.For far too long, for far too many, the City of Chicago has failed to meet this basic need.The more individuals who have positive relationships with law enforcement the safer our neighborhoods will be.
Though none of our city’s communities have been immune, it is no secret that violence has been concentrated in roughly 15 communities, almost exclusively on the south and west side; the same communities struggling with high unemployment, under-resourced or closed schools, and overall lack of investment.The OCJ will also coordinate our battle against the flow of illegal firearms in Chicago.Every year the Chicago Police Department seizes thousands of illegal guns.And while the County Care program Toni helped create as Cook County Board President has brought unprecedented behavioral and physical health care into our communities, we still face deficits due to years of neglect.
The violence, combined with these underlying factors, has contributed to a growing exodus of families from these communities, removing critical economic and social resources, and making the devastating cycle of disinvestment and decline worse.
Even in the city’s more affluent neighborhoods, other types of violent crime, such as armed robbery, assault, and vehicular hijacking, have undermined many resident’s sense of personal safety.