Hatye Cops Love The Gangbangers

[Pedro56]

Some in Cabrini-Green say they fear cops, not crime

August 30, 2006

BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter

Minnie Long raised her now grown children in the Cabrini-Green row houses and continues to live in the area. But in recent years it has become a place that she fears.

It is not the crime in the near North Side community -- which has fallen in recent years -- but those fighting crime that give her pause.

"I'm scared of the police," Long, 66, said after a Chicago Police Department community meeting Tuesday night.

Long was in a crowd of about 150 residents at the Seward Park Field House at North and Orleans, just steps from a police-involved shooting that exacerbated tensions between residents and law enforcement.

Ellis Woodland, 14 was shot Aug. 7 after he pulled what appeared to be a high-powered pistol but turned out to be a BB gun.

"I was in my bedroom and I heard those five shots" that police fired at the teen, Long said. "When I found out what it was -- if anybody shoots me that many times, they intend to kill you. It was uncalled for. "

A police review panel ultimately ruled the shooting justified.

Cline: Police 'building trust'

Tuesday night's meeting offered a chance for police to take questions from residents, but most of those who spoke voiced familiar complaints, including allegations of police brutality and rude behavior.

Many residents and police department brass, including Supt. Phil Cline, agreed on Tuesday that the majority of officers are respectful.

"Every day the Chicago Police Department is out there building trust as we fight crime," Cline said, explaining that some days "we do it well," and other days some officers don't do as well.

Tisa Morris, who heads the Office of Professional Standards, told residents that OPS is their first stop when they want to file a complaint.

Several ministers were on hand Tuesday night, as were elected leaders including Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), who represents the Cabrini-Green community. Burnett expressed worry that there weren't many teens at the meeting to voice complaints.

"Initially I was upset ... but then I realized there were a lot of middle-aged women who talked about how they have been disrespected. These are law-abiding residents, and I think that's something the brass needed to see and hear," he said.

Cline said residents' concerns would be shared with supervisors and patrol officers as part of an ongoing discussion about police-community relations.

"We've heard what you've said and we're going to go back and work on being better."

ldonovan@suntimes.com

[Norm357]

Buncha pansy ass freaks if you ask me.

[JLK]

"I'm scared of the police," Long, 66, said

good hopefully the bad guys do too.


It is not the crime in the near North Side community -- which has fallen in recent years -- but those fighting crime that give her pause.

can't fight crime by being warm and fuzzy all the time. you can't put blinders on and say you don't see anything.


"I was in my bedroom and I heard those five shots" that police fired at the teen, Long said. "When I found out what it was -- if anybody shoots me that many times, they intend to kill you. It was uncalled for. "

Ellis Woodland, 14 was shot Aug. 7 after he pulled what appeared to be a high-powered pistol

it's called deadly force for a reason. if i start shooting i don't stop till they stop doing what i started shooting them for.
stupid people make me sick.

[Emily]

Ellis Woodland, 14 was shot Aug. 7 after he pulled what appeared to be a high-powered pistol but turned out to be a BB gun.

How about not pulling out any kind of weapon while the police are around? Now there's a bright idea.....

[Piggybank Cop]

"Some in Cabrini-Green say they fear cops, not crime"

And some are ate up with the dumb-shits.