The Police Perspective - Chicago Summer 2022

 

Keith A. Thornton Jr. is in Chicago, Illinois.

15h  · 

“Keep your head!," I must have yelled this to my officers nearly a dozen times during yesterdays fiasco.

This term means to stay calm, maintain composure, and keep control of oneself.

They did this for themselves as best they could, but what they couldn't keep calm and under control was our city as thousands of ruthless and parentless youth wrecked havoc all throughout Downtown.

Why?

Because they're outnumbered, have limited manpower, and are working under the control of a "Mayor" and over-promoted brass who are careless, clueless, and callous to their direct ineffectiveness of being true leaders within this city.

Their lack of direction showed yesterday, and it shows just about each and every day as this city blows up incident after incident.

One teenager killed at "The Bean" while several others are shot and killed throughout the rest of the city; it's all in a days work, over and over and over again...

Even if we hear from the Mayor or the Superintendent, their words would ring hollow with empty promises and political rhetoric.

Chicago is in a death spiral and has quickly turned into a city that caters strictly to criminals who target the innocent.

There is absolutely no accountability and there are no consequences for bad or even deadly behavior.

Many parents have stopped parenting and most politicians have forced our police officers to stop policing in such a way that they should.

Everyone involved in the criminal activity last night and all of this morning should have been arrested; hundreds.

Every single mass arrest van should have been deployed and filled.

Make their parents get out of bed to collect their children. Make them go to court.

Make it inconvenient for the offender and the family who let's this madness go unchecked.

But as long as our State's Attorney refuses to hold offenders accountable and our Mayor continues to run the police department as if only she knows better, nothing will improve.

Without a new administration of true leadership running this city, more people will be severely injured and many more will be killed.

Rest assured, the one thing that is certain: our Police Officers will continue to work tirelessly to hold it together as best they can.

Our 911 call-takers and 911 dispatchers will continue to struggle and maintain their composure as they continue to help manage and lead first responders into and through the chaos.

The firefighters and paramedics will continue answering the call one after another & our great citizens will continue to pay sometimes the ultimate and deadly price.

I'm not sure if we have reached the point of no return; I truly hope not.

This may be Mayor Lightfoot's version of Chicago, but we know there is a better version waiting for us after the next election.

Chicago must clean house and put true leadership in control or this city is done.

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• JP Cleary

  Well stated and true

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