Extremely Violent Weekend
Memorial Day Weekend just passed in Chicago. While most Chicagoans looked forward to a warm weekend to spend with family and enjoy BBQ, others are mourning their loved ones as this Memorial Day weekend was, unfortunately, worse than last year. Governor Pritzker plans to implement Peacekeepers to combat that from continuing to happen throughout the summer.
Last year 47 victims were shot, with nine of them ending in fatalities. The numbers skyrocketed in comparison to 2021 as there were 29 shootings and three murders in addition to numbers showing that although the number of shootings has increased; the number of fatalities has decreased. Although we are losing fewer lives, there are more overall victims. This year was an unfortunate change in the trend. We know certainly the current known count of shootings is at 53, with 16 of them being fatal, and with more reports coming in; the numbers will undoubtedly rise. Can the Peacekeepers help?
There is a major shortage of nurses and medical personnel in the city, and this only puts more pressure on them. In addition to the nursing shortage, there is also a shortage of police officers. There is an influx of applications, but the training process takes time to complete.
In the meantime, those in our local and state governments have decided to try and implement new ways to protect the citizens who continue to suffer and live and fear.
Mayoral Influence
Prior to the election of our current mayor, Brandon Johnson, former mayor Lori Lightfoot, implemented a similar plan. She assigned units of individuals at popular areas, i.e. on the CTA’s Red and Blue line train stations. The individuals work for a private firm in partnership with the CPD and CTA. They are unarmed, but most have trained German Shepherds. The focus of the program is to eradicate narcotics and gang presence.
Brandon Johnson, in turn, piggy-backed on that and in a similar fashion went on to establish four executive orders no later than 48 hours after getting into office. Their main points were to:
- Boost youth employment.
- Establish a deputy mayor for immigrant, migrant, and refugee rights.
- Establish a deputy mayor for community safety.
- Establish a deputy mayor for labor relations.
The platforms are not exactly alike, but they all share a central point: improving the safety and quality of life for all Chicagoans. Peacekeepers focus on those in low-income areas or who may suffer from racial or social injustices.
On May 25, Brandon Johnson along with Chicago Police Interim Supt. Fred Waller along with Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt revealed the city’s Memorial Day and Summer safety plan. This plan involves maintaining and improving the plans previously in place which introduce the Peacekeepers program.
Who and What are Peacekeepers?
The peacekeepers are individuals who the city will pay a daily stipend. There are multiple positions that share different responsibilities.
Their main responsibilities are:
- Maintaining a presence in areas deemed “hot spots.”
- If needed, de-escalate potentially hostile situations.
- Monitor social media for potentially impactful threats or trends.
- Report needed conflicts or threats to the correct authority.
Each Peacekeeper supervisor will assign to a different location contingent on a few factors:
- Chicago or a Cook County suburb.
- High crime rate (based on 21′ & 22′ crime rates).
- Low median income.
- Existing relationships within the community.
Those in charge meet a few criteria as well.
- Have enough knowledge to monitor multiple hotspots.
- Engage other Peacekeepers as well as individuals within each hotspot.
- Participate in community events to establish relationships in unfamiliar areas.
Currently, the program only has about 30 people. They each have select areas of about 4-6 blocks. They are assigned based on community influence and familiarity.
What to Expect
They sport casual clothes with neon vests. They are unlike some previous community programs. Instead of watching, they will actively interact with those in their hotspots.
Citizens don’t have to worry about funding the Peacekeepers program as it receives its money from pandemic funding. So far, CPRU (Citywide Crisis Prevention & Response Unit) reported that they have already received $750,000 in addition to more expected throughout the summer.
Will It Work?
Some citizens are worrying about will the Peacekeepers work effectively. At this point, it is new; however, it is not completely foreign. We remember there are other forms of this, for instance, in smaller areas that use funds from local groups.
To a certain extent, they have been successful, especially in increasing community engagement and releasing tensions in the neighborhoods within which they operate.
Success is being proven on a smaller scale, not to mention Governor Pritzker basing the Peacekeepers program on two programs similar to this one. Citizens indeed can be hopeful that this will have a positive impact on the community.
By Nichale Mann
Sources:
CBS Chicago: Teams of ‘peacekeepers’ to be deployed around Chicago for Memorial Day weekend
City of Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs First Executive Orders
Chicago Transit Authority: Mayor Lightfoot, CPD and CTA Officials Announce New Public Safety Measures for Nation’s Second Largest Transit System
Featured & Inset Images Courtesy of Nichale Mann
