Chicago City Council Progressive Caucus holds town hall on 2017 budget
By Alex Ortiz If all politics are local, then a City Council Progressive Caucus town hall at Malcolm X College Thursday mirrored issues driving the national election conversation. Residents punctuated two main topics: child care access and jobs. “We’re just looking for more funding in that area,” said April Drayton, a childcare professional from Morgan […]
An unconventional approach to Chicago’s misunderstood gun violence
By Marisa Endicott January saw its highest death toll from gun violence since 2000 in Chicago this year. There have been over 416 shootings in 2016 to date, 32 of them over this past weekend. The numbers highlight the deep roots of gun violence in Chicago and the city’s inability to combat the problem. While overall crime […]
Recruiting minorities is not the solution to police reform, say community groups
By Meggie Morris Community-based organizations demanding police reform say recruiting more minorities to better reflect Chicago’s demographics is not enough to improve police-community relations. The recruitment campaign, which is to end this week, will be ineffective unless the city first addresses the policing system as a whole, the groups say. “It certainly is a prerequisite […]
Feeling the heat, Chicago Police counter criticism, highlight ‘good works’
By Thomas Vogel De-escalating a domestic dispute in Englewood. A drug bust in the Harrison District. A South Side foot chase to catch a carjacker. These are just a few of the instances the Chicago Police Department recognized Tuesday morning at its monthly Commendation Ceremony. Designed to emphasize positive instances of crime fighting, the event […]
Police superintendent selection process gets underway
By Iacopo Luzi Fewer candidates have applied to become Chicago’s next police superintendent than in 2011, the last time the city got a new top cop. By last Friday’s deadline, 39 people had submitted their application to the Chicago Police Board, the independent body that will select finalists for the job and submit those names […]
