After protesters showed up with bullhorns at the Lakeview home of Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs last month, officials did what you might expect: they beefed up security at his family home. Those efforts were redoubled after an arsonist set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s home on April 13.
But the added security services were not provided by the Illinois State Police, the agency responsible for protecting many of the state’s highest-ranking leaders. Instead, the Chicago Police Department pulled patrol cars that would ordinarily be responding to 911 calls in the Lakeview-based Town Hall (19th) District and had those officers spend their shifts sitting outside Frerichs’ home.
Less than an hour after CWBChicago asked Frerichs’ office and CPD about the unusual arrangements on Tuesday, police leaders stopped “detailing” city resources to Frerich’s house.
Pro-Palestinian protesters, hoping to end the state’s investment in Israel, first appeared at the treasurer’s home in October. They threw red paint on his house and yelled into a bullhorn. About a dozen protesters returned at 3:15 a.m. on March 12.
Following last month’s protest, CPD began performing “premise checks” at Frerichs’ home—sending an officer down the block once in a while to maintain a presence and keep an eye on things.
But the department stepped up its approach on April 15, two days after a man set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s home. According to a source, that’s when CPD leaders established an around-the-clock presence outside Frerichs’ home. Each shift, CPD assigned a squad car that would have been patrolling Lincoln Park or Lakeview or North Center or Uptown to sit outside Frerichs’ house instead.
Curiously, the squad cars were often parked directly next to a portable surveillance camera trailer that would seemingly allow Frerichs’ property to be monitored remotely.
On Tuesday morning, one of Frerichs’ neighbors sent us a message: What’s up with the cop car that’s been sitting on the block at all hours? It didn’t take long for us to find out.
We immediately asked CPD and Frerichs’ office why CPD beat cars were providing around-the-clock security for a state official when the state has its own law enforcement agencies. In fact, the Illinois State Police has an entire unit dedicated to executive protection.
A CPD spokesperson responded that “There is special attention in this residential area to ensure the safety of the community after recent public safety concerns.”
Frerich’s office was more forthcoming:
“The Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police are coordinating security measures following middle-of-the-night masked protests outside Treasurer Frerichs’ Chicago home. The Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police best decide how to provide those services. In the wake of the arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion and other violence against elected officials, these measures are taken out of an abundance of caution. We appreciate the professionalism and judgment of CPD and ISP.”
“Treasurer Frerichs will always defend the right of people to peacefully protest. Coming to his home with bullhorns at 3 a.m. and frightening his family simply goes too far. This is intimidation to cause fear through scare tactics. Treasurer Frerichs stands by his investment decisions to earn positive returns for the people of Illinois.”
Less than an hour after we inquired about Frerichs’ city-provided security, CPD ended the “house detail” and resumed occasional “premise checks” at the family’s home.
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