Residents: Give Weis time

Residents who have been largely critical of the Chicago Police Department said Police Supt. Jody Weis hasn’t been in his post long enough to warrant the tongue lashing he received as a result of last month’s increased murder rate and the fatal shooting ne

Residents who have been largely critical of the Chicago Police Department said Police Supt. Jody Weis hasn’t been in his post long enough to warrant the tongue lashing he received as a result of last month’s increased murder rate and the fatal shooting near this year’s Taste of Chicago. As the City Council’s Police and Fire Committee lit the fire under his feet during a nearly seven-hour-long public hearing Tuesday, Weis told the committee he shares their frustration about the uptick in homicides. But he assured them that the department is doing the best possible job with the resources available. From January to June this year, there were nearly 230 homicides, about 28 more than the same period last year. For the first six months of 2008, police also logged 31,005 calls for shots fired (7,136 more than this time last year), 17,481 calls for a person with a gun (1,210 more than this time last year) and 16,427 calls for gang disturbances (2,626 more than this time last year), according to recently released CPD statistics. As the hearing got underway, a man in the City Council chambers’ galley shouted “scapegoat” as Weis was called on the carpet by the committee’s chairman, Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th). Another person who sat in on the hearing agreed. “It’s only been six months since he took over, and it’s only about 30 days into the summer. There is no way he can be blamed for all the crime. He has to be given a chance. It’s too soon to lay it all on him right now,” Ashunda Harris said outside of council chambers. Harris’ nephew, Aaron Harrison, was killed by police last August on the West Side. West Side Ald. Ed Smith (28th) said Weis, or other officers, cannot be responsible for an “idiot.” “An idiot will be an idiot. You cannot control an idiot. What kind of people come to the Taste with a gun?” Smith asked. Rev. Marshall Hatch of New Mt. Pilgrim M.B. Church on the West Side also said “time will tell” of Weis’ leadership, but it’s only been six months and violence is expected to increase during the summer months. Weis said he is strategizing with his top brass about ways to stem the rising violence. Part of the plan is to realign beats in districts with high-crime areas, have more officers on the streets, increase foot and bike patrols and bring back the scandal-plagued, disbanded Special Operations Section. Laced with misconduct allegations, SOS was shut down last year and reorganized as the Targeted Response Unit. “I will do all that I can to assure that the leadership of the department continues to make fighting crime the number one priority,” Weis said at the hearing. Hatch was disappointed at Weis’ statements about bringing back SOS. “It would be a huge mistake. There was too much negativity associated with it, and it will only bring the morale down in the community if SOS was back in force. He needs to rethink that,” Hatch said. Harris concurred. “SOS no longer has a place in the Chicago Police Department. It doesn’t need to be resurrected,” she said. The concept of SOS was good, but control over the unit was too relaxed, Weis said. “That was a very aggressive enforcement group that would go out and take weapons off the street and arrest a lot of bad guys. The failings were in, perhaps, a lack of leadership and a lack of centralized accountability. But the concept was strong,” he said. This time around, Weis said they will make sure SOS has the right officers, coupled with the right training, so there are no missteps. All members will be handpicked. ______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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