Friday, August 26, 2011

Change of Subject: Where in the world was Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy?

More fallout from last Saturday's GCA meeting where Supt. McCarthy was a no-show! This time we read an explanation by Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn:
Police spokeswoman Lt. Maureen C. Biggane responded to my first email query about this with, "There was a scheduling conflict and subsequent miscommunication."

When I pressed her--Where was McCarthy?-- she replied:

"The 5th Annual Hoops in the Hood Cross-City Tournament was held at Seward Park (on the Near North Side, starting at 11 a.m.). The Superintendent attended this Youth Basketball Tournament in support of Chicago's neighborhood children going for the cross-city basketball title. Twelve community basketball leagues from across Chicago were scheduled to participate. As it turned out, the event was canceled after the Superintendent's arrival because of the rain. The Superintendent remained on site and visited with youth, organizers and others in the Seward Park field house."

Sounds poorly handled, not just by McCarthy's scheduler but by Carter, who owed the gathering a thorough explanation. It gets back to my theory that people will understand and forgive when you mess up, but only if you're forthcoming.

Biggane said the Q&A session will be rescheduled.

3 comments:

  1. i was really wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt on this (like maybe a police emergency or a family member being sick).

    But to ditch a community meeting in favor of a sports game (where people were NOT looking to him as the main interest of the gathering)? He could have easily gone to the tournement after the Chatham meeting. Most of the people there would have been around after the first game was done (maybe 12 - 12:30pm).

    He was starting to build credibility in our comunity, and now hehas to rebuild it, and then some.

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  2. Seriously folks, get over it already, he said he will be back, let's move on. There are more important things to focus on right now in our community.

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  3. "Getting over it" is what has us in the position(s) we're in now. What you're basically saying is accept being blew off for a poor reason. Accept being second to a sports event. There was a lot we accepted from Lyle, Daley, Weiss, kids, community.... and when we stop accepting maybe things will change. The man should have been there.....

    ReplyDelete

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