YESTERDAY'S BEAT 2422 CAPS MEETING....

Thanks to all the neighbors who were able to turn out for the meeting.  Unfortunately, we were not able to meet the new 24th District Commander, due to an unexpected last minute personal emergency.  A number of those who attended complained about the need to disperse 'crowds' who loiter on the public way throughout our neighborhood at all hours of the day and night. We were basically told by the attending 24th District Officers that the "police don't have the ability or power to disperse such groups out of concern for the ACLU coming after them for violating individual rights."  I totally disagree and here's why,  per the City of Chicago Municipal Code:

^{(Here is a link to the complete 'Municipal Code of Chicago',}

^{current through June 8, 2011)}

The following is current and valid law in the City of Chicago………

<sup>8-4-015 Gang loitering.
(a) Whenever a police officer observes a member of a criminal street gang engaged in gang loitering with one or more other persons in any public place designated for the enforcement of this section under subsection (b), the police officer shall, subject to all applicable procedures promulgated by the superintendent of police: (i) inform all such persons that they are engaged in gang loitering within an area in which loitering by groups containing criminal street gang members is prohibited; (ii) order all such persons to disperse and remove themselves from within sight and hearing of the place at which the order was issued; and (iii) inform those persons that they will be subject to arrest if they fail to obey the order promptly or engage in further gang loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which the order was issued during the next eight hours.

(b) The superintendent of police shall by written directive designate areas of the city in which the superintendent has determined that enforcement of this section is necessary because gang loitering has enabled criminal street gangs to establish control over identifiable areas, to intimidate others from entering those areas, or to conceal illegal activities. Prior to making a determination under this subsection, the superintendent shall consult as he or she deems appropriate with persons who are knowledgeable about the effects of gang activity in areas in which the ordinance may be enforced. Such persons may include, but need not be limited to, members of the department of police with special training or experience related to criminal street gangs; other personnel of that department with particular knowledge of gang activities in the proposed designated area; elected and appointed officials of the area; community-based organizations; and participants in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy who are familiar with the area. The superintendent shall develop and implement procedures for the periodic review and update of designations made under this subsection.

(c) The superintendent shall by written directive promulgate procedures to prevent the enforcement of this section against persons who are engaged in collective advocacy activities that are protected by the Constitution of the United States or the State of Illinois.

(d) As used in this section:

(1) Gang loitering means remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believe that the purpose or effect of that behavior is to enable a criminal street gang to establish control over identifiable areas, to intimidate others from entering those areas, or to conceal illegal activities.

(2) Criminal street gang means any ongoing organization, association in fact or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its substantial activities the commission of one or more of the criminal acts enumerated in paragraph (3), and whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity.

(3) Criminal gang activity means the commission, attempted commission or solicitation of the following offenses, provided that the offenses are committed by two or more persons, or by an individual at the direction of, or in association with, any criminal street gang, with the specific intent to promote, further or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members:

the following sections of the Criminal Code of 1961: 9-1 (murder), 9-3.3 (drug-induced homicide), 10-1 (kidnapping), 10-4 (forcible detention), subsection (a)(13) of Section 12-2 (aggravated assault – discharging firearm), 12-4 (aggravated battery), 12-4.1 (heinous battery), 12-4.2 (aggravated battery with a firearm), 12-4.3 (aggravated battery of a child), 12-4.6 (aggravated battery of a senior citizen), 12-6 (intimidation), 12-6.1 (compelling organization membership of persons), 12-11 (home invasion), 12-14 (aggravated criminal sexual assault), 18-1 (robbery), 18-2 (armed robbery), 19-1 (burglary), 19-3 (residential burglary), 19-5 (criminal fortification of a residence or building), 20-1 (arson), 20-1.1 (aggravated arson), 20-2 (possession of explosives or explosive or incendiary devices), subsections (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(9) or (a)(12) of Section 24-1 (unlawful use of weapons), 24-1.1 (unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the department of corrections facilities), 24-1.2 (aggravated discharge of a firearm), subsection (d) of Section 25-1 (mob action – violence), 33-1 (bribery), 33A-2 (armed violence), Sections 5, 5.1, 7 or 9 of the Cannabis Control Act where the offense is a felony (manufacture or delivery of cannabis, cannabis trafficking, calculated criminal cannabis conspiracy and related offenses), or Sections 401, 401.1, 405, 406.1, 407 or 407.1 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (illegal manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, controlled substance trafficking, calculated criminal drug conspiracy and related offenses).

(4) Pattern of criminal gang activity

(5) Public place means the public way and any other location open to the public, whether publicly or privately owned.

(e) Any person who fails to obey promptly an order issued under subsection (a), or who engages in further gang loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which such an order was issued during the eight-hour period following the time the order was issued, is subject to a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00 for each offense, or imprisonment for not more than six months for each offense, or both. A second or subsequent offense shall be punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment.

In addition to or instead of the above penalties, any person who violates this section may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section 1-4-120 of this Code.

(f) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of subsection (e) of this section or subsection (d) of Section 8-4-017, or any combination thereof, within any 12-month period, a court, in addition to imposing the penalties prescribed in that subsection, shall enter an order requiring the convicted person to refrain, for a mandatory period of 30 days, from gang loitering, or narcotics-related loitering as defined in Section 8-4-017, within sight and hearing of the place of the police officer’s order issued under subsection (a) which served as the basis for the person’s most recent conviction, unless circumstances strongly mandate that such period should be shorter. Such an order must be obeyed regardless of whether any additional warning or notice is given to the person. Any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (f) shall be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment but not more than six months imprisonment, plus a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00, for each violation. In addition to or instead of the penalties prescribed in this subsection (f), any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (f) may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section 1-4-120 of this Code.

(Added Coun. J. 6-17-92 p. 18292; Amend Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81865, § 1)

Editor’s note – Prior to amendment by Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1, this section pertained to gang-related congregations.


8-4-017 Narcotics-related loitering
(a) Whenever a police officer observes one or more persons engaged in narcotics-related loitering in any public place designated for the enforcement of this section under subsection (b), the police officer shall: (i) inform all such persons that they are engaged in loitering within an area in which such loitering is prohibited; (ii) order all such persons to disperse and remove themselves from within sight and hearing of the place at which the order was issued; and (iii) inform those persons that they will be subject to arrest if they fail to obey the order promptly or engage in further narcotics-related loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which the order was issued during the next eight hours.

(b) The superintendent of police shall by written directive designate areas of the city in which enforcement of this section is necessary because the areas are frequently associated with narcotics-related loitering. Prior to making a determination under this subsection, the superintendent shall consult as he or she deems appropriate with persons who are knowledgeable about the effects of narcotics-related activity in areas in which the ordinance may be enforced. Such persons may include, but need not be limited to, members of the department of police with special training or experience related to narcotics-related activity; other personnel of that department with particular knowledge of narcotics- related activities in the proposed designated area; elected and appointed officials of the area; community- based organizations; and participants in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy who are familiar with the area. The superintendent shall develop and implement procedures for the periodic review and update of designations made under this subsection.

(c) As used in this section:

(1) Narcotics-related loitering means remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believe that the purpose or effect of that behavior is to facilitate the distribution of substances in violation of the Cannabis Control Act or the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

(2) Public place means the public way and any other location open to the public, whether publicly or privately owned.

(d) Any person who fails to obey promptly an order issued under subsection (a), or who engages in further narcotics-related loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which such an order was issued during the eight-hour period following the time the order was issued, is subject to a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00 for each offense, or imprisonment for not more than six months for each offense, or both. A second or subsequent offense shall be punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment.

In addition to or instead of the above penalties, any person who violates this section may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section 1-4-120 of this Code.

(e) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of subsection (d) of this section or subsection (e) of Section 8-4-015, or any combination thereof, within any 12-month period, a court, in addition to imposing the penalties prescribed in that subsection, shall enter an order requiring the convicted person to refrain, for a mandatory period of 30 days, from narcotics-related loitering, or gang loitering as defined in Section 8-4-015, within sight and hearing of the place of the police officer’s order issued under subsection (a) which served as the basis for the person’s most recent conviction, unless circumstances strongly mandate that such period should be shorter. Such an order must be obeyed regardless of whether any additional warning or notice is given to the person. Any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (e) shall be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment but not more than six months imprisonment, plus a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00, for each violation. In addition to or instead of the penalties prescribed in this subsection (e), any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (e) may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section 1-4-120 of this Code.

(Added Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81865, § 1)

The North Howard  Neighbors Association urges all residents to contact the Alderman's office as well as the 24th District Community Relations Office to insist that the 24th District Police do whatever is necessary to implement, invoke and enforce these laws in several designated locations North of Howard as quickly as possible.  Three suggested locations are:

1) The 1500 to 1650 blocks of W. Jonquil Terrace
2) The four corner intersection at W. Jonquil Terrace and N. Paulina
3) All 3 of our neighborhood parks (Triangle, Willye White and the Harold Washington Children's Playlot) and beaches (Howard, Rogers and Juneway). 

Comments are welcome from anyone, however, residents of the NoH neighborhood are especially urged to add their thoughts and opinions.</sup>