Thanks to the city’s decision to take away 27% of our district’s police force over the past two years, situations like this one from 7 o’clock Tuesday evening are becoming more and more common.
DISPATCHER: For the units in [the 19th district], no cars available. Got a domestic-related person with a knife. 45XX Sheridan…Girlfriend inside armed with a knife
[silence]
SUPERVISOR: If there’s no cars available, give it to a [tactical unit].
[silence]
DISPATCHER: 1963David?
1963DAVID: …We’re all the way on the south side of the district. We’ll respond, but if there’s a car closer…
DISPATCHER: Yeah. We’re kinda outta luck there.
TBT: Throwback Quote Of The Week
Bennett Lawson, Chief of Staff for 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, telling citizens why merging the former 19th and 23rd police districts in March 2012 would be good for public safety:
The total number of officers in the district will stay in place, non-sworn personnel working in the district will be reduced and there will be more sworn officers on the street. There will also be the same number of [patrol] cars.
Facts
– As of last month, the total number of officers in our district has dropped from 468 before the merger to 340.
– There are 27% fewer “sworn officers on the street.”
– The department eliminated 3 police beats in the merger, a 17% decrease in the number of “patrol cars.”
Quote source: Center Square Journal
