Community Policing Archives

Assisted Suicide in Minnesota

Do you remember when Dr. Jack Kevorkian and assisted suicide were a major discussion in the medical field? It may be time for us to start having a similar discussion about violence in America’s larger towns and cities. We seem to be witnessing a new type of assisted suicide in far too many communities. Correction the assisted suicide of communities. The Summer 2021 issue of “Thinking Minnesota” provides an excellent summary of the collapse of public safety in the Twin Cities area. In Minnesota, and many other areas of the nation, a cadre of “new Kevorkian” leaders has emerged. These leaders have assisted in creating community conditions more vulnerable to lawlessness. In that wake, deadly violence has dramatically increased. [Click the link below to read more.]

Groundhog Day in Hadleyville: Lawless and Violent

Going back to the ancient Greeks, there are two main types of stories, comedies and tragedies. The 1993 film, “Groundhog Day,” is a comedy set in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a peaceful community that takes local pride in its annual celebration of Groundhog Day. In the film comedy, Bill Murray’s character relives the same Groundhog Day, each day, for a very long time. Hadleyville, as we have discussed here many times, is the setting for the film, “High Noon.” What we are seeing play out in Chicago is a tragedy on par of “Groundhog Day in Hadleyville.” There a community relives violent weekend after violent weekend in a lawless cycle. Groundhog Day in Hadleyville is a shameful community experience. On this point, let us consider a sampling of what we have witnessed just since our posting on 1 September 2021. [Click the link below to read more.]

Sliver of Hope, More Anguish in Chicago

So on 1 September 2021, there were two news stories that directly relate to our post “The Sights, Sounds, and Bloodshed of an Increasingly Lawless City.” One offering a sliver of hope. The other recording more anguish in a city in crisis. The sliver of hope related to the disturbing North State Street attack on Saturday, 29 August 2021. Chicago police announced the arrest of one offender identified from the viral video. However, the second story brought more heart-wrenching anguish. Yet another west-side murder. This time the murder of a father simply taking his seven-year-old daughter to school. It will be interesting to see what happens in Cook County Criminal Court relative to the offender arrested from the State Street incident. The murder of a dad as he shielded his daughter from gunfire – another sign of a city sliding into lawlessness.

The Sights, Sounds, and Bloodshed of an Increasingly Lawless City

Two more weekends of violence in Chicago bear discussion, as the Hadleyville warning signs continue for the city. Video, audio, and violence statistics from the last two weekends reflect a city that continues to spiral downward. From the outside, Chicago has the look of an increasingly lawless city. As reflected in our 18 August analysis, Chicagoans are not confused. They are concerned about the city’s violence. Yet the problem continues. A video of lawlessness this weekend. Audio of lawlessness the prior weekend. Crime stats from both weekends documenting the alarming bloodshed. The last two weekends will neither help Chicago’s tourism bureau market the city, nor its residents feel better about crime.

Pandemic Restrictions Enforcement and Police-Community Relations

To say that we are living in interesting, and challenging times is an understatement. Many elected officials across America have demonstrated confusion regarding the proper public safety role of the police. Many have advocated for the police not to be utilized for mental health or social service issues. Some public officials have changed laws and policies limiting the authority of the police to enforce numerous offenses within traffic and even criminal codes. Others have advocated that such enforcement should be limited to issuing citations only, without the use of physical arrests and absent any use of force. So, how does this viewpoint square with using the police for pandemic restrictions enforcement? From a logic standpoint, the two approaches really do not square.

More Warning Signs: Chicago and Hadleyville

Less than a month ago, Secure 1776 raised the question. Is Chicago a Hadleyville? We highlighted three recent news items which raised warning signs that Chicago was at risk. In light of the murder of Chicago Police Officer Ella French on 7 August 2021, it is worth rereading that post. Officer French was murdered, and her partner critically wounded, while they were conducting a vehicle stop. The shooting occurred in West Englewood, a Chicago neighborhood that has long-suffered the ravages of street crime and gang violence. The murder of a police officer, while she was in the act of keeping her oath to the Constitution, is a tear in the very fabric of the community.

Is Facebook Police Friendly?

The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) sought to honor an East Peoria, Illinois police officer as its “Most Outstanding Officer of the Year.” The ILACP posted this honor on their Facebook Page. Is Facebook police friendly and supportive of such a posting? It would seem not. The ILACP has reported that Facebook has blocked the association’s ad on the social media giant seeking to promote their post. Why? Secure 1776 shares what we have learned.

Is Chicago a Hadleyville? There are warning signs.

The greatest warning that Secure 1776 can associate with a community is that it is becoming a “Hadleyville.” What is a “Hadleyville?” Thomas Lemmer was the first to speak about Hadleyvilles in his 2015 article “It’s High Noon for American Policing.” Is Chicago a Hadleyville? To begin to answer this question, let’s consider three recent articles on policing and crime in Chicago.

Rasmussen Reports: Spend More on Police, Voters Say

In the discussion of the future of policing in American during the past year, many activists and some elected officials adopted the slogan, “Defund the Police.” Recent polling by Rasmussen Reports finds little public support for this view.

“The Community’s Credible Threat”

policing provides key support for the informal social control provided directly by the community. The full article, “The Community’s Credible Threat,” can be read at the City Journal.

Rasmussen Reports: 49% of Voters Say Anti-Police Protests Hurt Public Safety

Rasmussen Reports released recent findings from a national telephone and online survey. They found that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters believed last year’s protests against the police hurt public safety. Just 22% said the protests helped public safety and 21% believed the protests didn’t make much difference.

“From Broken Windows to Broken Streets”

Nicole Gelinas writes about an interview with the late criminologist George Kelling “half a decade ago” that focused on Broken Windows Theory. The analysis is insightful relative to the fundamental role of the community in public safety and how policing is impacted when community involvement is low.