The Commander's response to the post of January 23rd regarding 'gang shrines' in our community.
From: Sobczyk, David A.
To: 'luckenbach@rcn.com'
Cc: Rottner, Bruce M.
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: Gang Shrines
Sir, I understand and look forward to hearing your concerns and those of other community members. I hope to see you at one of the next two 2422 Beat Meetings which are held at the Gateway Senior Center on Rogers. The meetings are on Thursday - 12 FEB or Thursday - 12 MAR.
Thank you.
Commander David Sobczyk
024TH District
Chicago Police Department
My response:
Sent: Monday, January 26th
Commander,
I am very much aware of the time and place of the 2422 Beat Meetings. Do I assume from your response that you will be in attendance at the upcoming Feb. & March Beat 2422 meetings?
To further clarify :
The issue of 'gang shrines' is not confined to Beat 2422, it is a serious concern for residents throughout the 24th District. While I appreciate your stated "guiding light" in dealing with generic memorials, I strongly disagree with this approach in dealing with 'gang shrines'. It is like comparing 'apples & oranges'. You stated: "First and foremost, the Police in the 024TH District in no way condone or wish to promote criminal street gangs." By not enforcing a zero tolerance policy regarding 'gang shrines', you are in fact, condoning and promoting criminal street gang activity in our community. Street gangs, by definition are criminal enterprises, and as such, NONE of their activities and behavior have a place in our daily lives, particularly on and in the PUBLIC way! To allow any consideration for such activity is to enable, condone, encourage and glorify criminal street gang activity. Based on your statement, "Those memorials which are gang-related, will be removed in a more expedient manner pursuant to the aforementioned considerations", may we assume that your officers will, in fact, not allow these affronts to our community to continue to exist, beyond the reasonable time it takes to respond to them?
Your attention and response is appreciated.
Sincerely,
M. Luckenbach
Concerned Citizen
35 year Resident of Rogers Park
North Howard Neighbors Association
Bcc: NHNA & SOCC Members
2 comments:
Most often, when a 'gang shrine' is set up, gang members will congregate , often for hours if not days, around such a location, making the situation ripe for more retaliatory shooting or violence. This not only increases the possibility of further gang violence on our streets but it places innocent residents and property in jeopardy. There is NO ROOM for tolerance in dealing with criminal street gangs and/or 'gang shrines'.
Thanks very much for staying on top of this, Michael.
In your earlier post you said, "Sgt. Delgado informed us that it was the 'policy' of the 24th District to allow 'gang shrines' to remain, in place on public property, for up to 48 hours." If this is, indeed, policy, then it's wrong, wrong, wrong. Such glorification serves no good purpose.
Jim Kepler
Post a Comment