One of our readers wrote to the aldercreature in an effort to get to the bottom of the manpower shortage. This is what they got back:
- Mr. (name withheld)
Thank you for taking the time to contact our office regarding your public safety concerns.
I speak with the Commander of the 16th District regularly, that is where I get my information about public safety in the 41st Ward. Everyone would like to see additional patrols and we've already started to hire additional police officers in the City, including 500 that are part of this year's budget.
Also, I personally don't hold a lot of stock in anonymous comments from a blog. I rely the advice and counsel of officials in the police department.
You may be interested in attending our upcoming 41st Ward Public Safety Town Hall
on Monday, November 26th at Taft High School in the auditorium. This event will be begin promptly at 6:30 PM. Commander O'Donnell of the 16th District will be in attendance. I've attached a flyer.
You can also find information about your regular BEAT meeting here.
Please feel free to contact my office if I can be of any additional assistance.
Regards,
Mary O'Connor
Alderman 41st Ward
6107 N Northwest Highway
Office: (773) 594-8341
Fax: (773) 594-8345
Email: ward41@cityofchicago.org
We'd certainly suggest that ALL the residents of 016 contact aldercreature O'Connor and let her know that the Department is lying to her if anyone says for an instant that the Department isn't "borrowing " officers from certain districts every single week in order to staff the midnight cars in 016. If she wants names and dates, those are easily obtainable via the Assignment and Attendance sheets as we discovered just the other day.