Lake Effect News

By LORRAINE SWANSON

Editor

The party on Clifton Street north of Wilson Avenue, aka as “Blood Alley,” continues for a second month. At the June CAPS meeting, cops said they would keep a special eye on Clifton.

Officer Dan Miller, the “Broadway/Wilson foot patrol guy,” said that Clifton has been quiet since the 23^rd District increased beat and foot patrol officers there during the past month. “We pull an event once a day, helping people find places to go, and reducing urinating and drinking,” Miller said.

Some residents, however, begged to differ.

Jay Bomberg, president of Bomberg Property Management and owner of the Wilson Men’s Club at 1124 W. Wilson, challenged police.

“I parked my car at Clifton before tonight’s CAPS meeting,” Bomberg said. “There were at least 25 people there, including one of my tenants [at the Wilson Men’s Club] whom I’m trying to evict.”

Clifton has become the epicenter for some of the problems endemic to Uptown, such as chronic homelessness.

“I’m at my wit’s end,” Bomberg said. “I’ve been in Uptown for 15 years and this problem has been going on at least that long and probably for years before then. I’m looking to you guys for assistance.”

The Top 10

• Narcotics – 23
• Theft – 21
• Battery – 16
• Criminal Damage – 12
• Assault – 12
• Deceptive practice – 5
• Robbery – 4
• Burglary – 4
• Criminal trespass – 2
• Weapons violation – 1

June 2 through July 7, 2009

 Old issues

• The 23^rd District will celebrate National Night Out with one big blowout at Clarendon Park, 4501 N. Clarendon, on Aug. 4. National Night Out is a nationwide celebration where communities take to the streets in a stand against crime. The theme of this year’s celebration in Uptown is “Magic Under the Midway” and will feature a carnival. The National Night Out festivities at Clarendon Park will run from 4 to 8 p.m.
• Officer Jose Rios, from the 23^rd District CAPS office, said property crimes and batteries are down this summer in Beat 2311, compared to the same time last year. There have been four armed robberies with a handgun this past month, but they do not appear to have been carried out by the same person or persons. The 7-Eleven at 1136 W. Wilson was also robbed. “All are open investigations.
• There was a fight on the sidewalk at Wilson and Clifton on Tuesday, before the CAPS meeting, said a woman whose husband witnessed the fight on his way home from work. She said her husband called 911. Miller told residents that if cops receive an anonymous 911 call and arrive after the disturbance is over, they can’t do anything about it. He advised residents to give their names when reporting street disturbances. “It’s not our peace that’s being disturbed,” Miller said. “We can’t make an arrest even though we might have a good idea who it is. We’re constrained.”
• A man named John, who has attended eight consecutive CAPS meetings for Beat 2311, reported that some of the loiterers dispersed from Clifton have moved over to the children’s playground behind Truman College. Last week, a fight broke out between a man and a woman, who accused the man of trying to rape her six-year-old daughter in front of 20 other people. “She kicked the guy’s ass 42 times,” John reported.

 New issues

•  A resident said that cars are ignoring pedestrians in the crosswalk at Broadway and Wilson during the morning and afternoon rush hour. “Drivers will drive around pedestrians,” he said. “Someone is going to get hit.” Twenty-third District Commander Kathy Boehmer said that they will put a traffic patrol on the corner during the rush hour.
• A resident complained that Broncho Billy Playlot, 4437 N. Magnolia,  is a zoo on Friday and Saturday afternoons. “Some of our major group is out there smoking pot. I call 911 every night at 9 p.m. when the playlot is supposed to close,” she said.  Only children ages 11 and under are allowed to be in the playlot, and adults who are accompanying children.  A police officer remarked that they could probably solve the issues of older kids being in the lot but that “the community won’t let us.”

One of the problems, Miller said, is a basketball court adjacent to the playlot. The community asked that a basketball court be installed for older children and teens on Magnolia. A lot of kids on the street are afraid to go the Clarendon to play ball “because of the Gangster Disciple thing,” Miller said.

The basketball was installed next to the playlot because there wasn’t a larger piece of land available. “As long as older kids are playing basketball or watching a basketball game, and are staying out of the playlot, they can stay there,” Miller said.

But some residents insisted that playlot age rules be enforced. James Cappleman, president of the Uptown Chicago Commission and a former aldermanic candidate, said that community residents tried to block the installation of the basketball court next to Broncho Billy, “but we were blocked politically.”

“Well,” a cop responded, “maybe when you win, we can enforce the rules.”

Miller said beat officers will be by to shag out kids from the basketball court when the playlot closes at 9 p.m., and to call 911 when other illegal activities are taking place.

 There will not be a CAPS meeting for Beat 2311 in August because the second Tuesday of the month falls on National Night Out. The next CAPS meeting for Beat 2311 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 1, at Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson, at 7 p.m. Sept. 1.