This past Tuesday night I attended the Resident Association of Greater Englewood(R.A.G.E.) semi-monthly community meeting. At the meeting the topic of the formation of the Englewood Violent Crime Task Force(HJR-55) came up for discussion. The author of this bill is State Representative Andre Thapedi (32nd). The formation of the Englewood Violent Crime Task Force is Rep. Thapedi response to the crime that has occurred in his district. His district covers portions of the Greater Grand Crossing, Park Manor and Englewood communities.
Previously Representative Thapedi introduced a measure that would give the Illinois State Police the authority to support and co police with the Chicago Police Department the areas one mile east and west of the Dan Ryan where the Illinois State Police already have jurisdiction. The measure was supported by the Illinois State Police and the governor but shot down by both the Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Superintendent of Police Garry McCarthy.
So in response to the cold shoulder by the City of Chicago the task force was introduced. The purpose of the task force is as follows
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Determine the causes of violent crime in Englewood and surrounding communities
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Determine a comprehensive long term plan of action to substantially reduce violent crime in Englewood and surrounding communities
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Make recommendations for laws,programs and initiatives and or money to put the plan of action into immediate effect.
The official resolution is
here. As the discussion about the resolution progressed one of the co-sponsors came forth, State Representative Esther Golar (6th) addressed the audience about the resolution with first stating it was not a bill but a resolution and secondly she did not support the resolution nor Representative Thapedi's previous measure to ask for support from the Illinois State Police. A number of hand went up in the crowd when the Representative asked how many of them supported the assistance of the Illinois State Police. Representative Golar district has one of the highest crime rates in the city, state and nation. I sat in the audience puzzled as to why the representative would co-sponsor a resolution that she did not support written or in spirit. I asked the question to the representative who stated she lives in Englewood and that is why. She also gave me some political rhetoric that was nothing more than her way of cow towing to the crowd. The representative was proud of throwing her colleague under the bus and this was another example of the ineptness of members of the State "Black Caucus". The caucus fumbled the ball on conceal and carry, same sex marriages and a number of other measures but consistently continue to come back to their constituents and state how hard they are working for them. My answer is Really!!. So after the meeting I contacted state representative Thapedi's office and asked how they felt about being thrown in front of a 18 wheeler going 50 mph. They stated they did not feel he was thrown under the bus and had no problem with Representatives Golar's response. I pondered the response and wonder how many measures that affect the south and west sides have been killed because of over inflated egos of members of the Black Caucus? I wonder how the residents of Park Manor and Greater Grand Crossing feel after telling their State Representative they are fed up with the crime and want a legislator who is going to look out for them and he picks a team with a sellout? I guess we will have to wait and see how the residents of these communities feel but for me its time that members of both the City and State Black Caucus's be held accountable and in a number of cases voted out of office.
What do you think?
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