De-Escalante Gone

Gee, despite all the flak we took, that rumor seems to be rolling right along:

• The No. 2 official in the Chicago Police Department announced his retirement Tuesday to become police chief at Northeastern Illinois University as the department braces for more fallout from the Laquan McDonald scandal.
  
  First Deputy Supt. John Escalante was chief of detectives in 2014 when a department investigation found Officer Jason Van Dyke was justified in fatally shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times.

Word is that a replacement has already been chosen by Special Ed:

The good news is he already has Ed's phone number.

Feel Safe Up North?

Don't - especially after the sun goes down:

Sorry about the blurry pic, but that's the other night in 016 - one, two, three....seven?

Five primary beat cars - unmanned. Two sector sergeants - unmanned.

And that's only half the screen. There's more if you scroll down, though our helpful scribe didn't include the rest of the ongoing disaster.

Anyone think the citizens up north are happy about this?

Anyone think the aldercreatures should be getting a few thousand phone calls tomorrow?

Anyone wonder why there aren't any openings up north so that midnights can be properly....and safely....manned?

Rumor Confirmation

The lame stream media, in particular, Sneed, Main and Spielman, are playing catch-up again:

• A scathing assessment by the City of Chicago’s inspector general is recommending that at least 10 officers involved in the Laquan McDonald case be fired or severely disciplined — a report that is sitting on the desk of Police Supt. Eddie Johnson, awaiting his action.
  
  Johnson is preparing to clean house, sources say.
  
  Among the first casualties is Deputy Chief David McNaughton, a 24-year veteran, who submitted his resignation Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times first reported.

No idea what this means for CompStat 2.0 since McNaughton was in charge of the reboot effort. No word on Escalante's new job either.

FOP, are you lining up support for the collaterally damaged officers yet? Are you making noise about the improprieties here? The Inspector General doesn't have this sort of oversight that we know of, does he?

And is anyone wondering now about what the IG is going to find in regard to ExamScam II?

Seems like our information is far more reliable and in-depth than the media's.

Big Job, Tiny Man

Once again, the wrong people at the top prove the job is too big for someone who didn't even want it:

• Police Supt. Eddie Johnson renewed his call for state lawmakers to help curb gun violence in Chicago, on the heels of another bloody weekend, which included the murder of a police officer’s son.
  
  “Any leader of the city of Chicago that thinks what we’re seeing out on the streets is okay shouldn’t be a leader,” Johnson said.

What about a "leader" who can't do anything about it? Who lashes out at those he's supposed to be leading? Who kowtows to the political element in a misguided effort to save an entire cadre of cheaters?

• Visibly frustrated, the superintendent addressed reporters at Police Headquarters on Monday, after at least 52 people were shot across the city over the weekend, including nine homicides.
  
  Johnson said those numbers have become all too familiar. For 13 consecutive weekends this year, at least 39 people have been shot in Chicago.
  
  The superintendent said 77 percent of the victims from this weekend’s shootings already were known to police, and between them have been arrested a combined 672 times.

Visibly frustrated because even the blind can see where this is leading - him on the chopping block at some point taking the blame for a "community" that can't control itself or its children. That would be putting the blame where part of it belongs.

• “At the end of every weekend, I review the details of the violence that occurs in some of our communities, and quite frankly, I’m just sick of it. There’s no other way to describe it. I’m just sick of it,” he said.

Not sick enough to actually call for hiring the 2,000 officers we're short. Not sick enough to figure out why every single district on the north side is down 3 to 8 cars per night, leading to increased violence and property crime. That would be putting the other part of the blame where it belongs - on politicians.

Milwaukee Blames Chicago

The communists again:

• Milwaukee police Chief Ed Flynn on Monday lauded faith and community leaders for curbing violence Sunday night during unrest after the police shooting of a black man on Saturday.
  
  “I saw in many instances people preaching on street corners, counseling small groups of individuals. A number of individuals spoke at the vigil, which easily could have been an excuse to incite, but rather there were consistent calls for calm, discussion and peaceful change,” Flynn said.
  
  [...]
  
  Flynn cast blame on some Chicago-based activists representing the Revolutionary Communist Party, who apparently organized young people to take to the streets and march on the then-barricaded District 7 police station, which received a number of threats.
  
  "The (group) showed up, and actually they’re the ones who started to cause problems leading into evening by marching and trying to take over Sherman and Burleigh," Flynn said. "That was about 11:30 at night. We made it to 11:30 in the evening, and we had these characters show up …"

Chief Flynn is being far more polite than we would have been. And far more effective than any Chicago exempt would be. But that's to be expected when you're led by professionals.

Again with the Bats?

This registered, but it didn't register....if you know what we mean.

The post the other day titled "Another Delayed" was about a west side homicide that started in 011, ended in 015 and the victim died in 010. We read this, but it didn't click at first:

• The two men were hit with bats and fists, but they managed to get away to the 4800 block of West Quincy Street, where they called 911.

So a bat is a deadly weapon? Again? Something the "community," certain activists and not a few lawyers have been claiming couldn't possibly be true in some previous police shootings.

Damn that reality!

Olympians Robbed

Golly, who'd have thunk it?

• U.S. Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte and three other members of the U.S. Olympic swimming team were robbed at gunpoint in Rio by armed gunmen posing as police officers early Sunday morning, he said.
  
  Lochte told NBC [...] one of the men aimed a gun at his forehead during the robbery.
  
  "I was with a couple swimmers, we got pulled over in our taxi and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge," Lochte said. "No lights, no nothing, just a police badge. They pulled us over. They pulled out their guns."

Thank goodness this didn't happen in Chicago! They probably would have been shot.

Dominoes Falling?

Interesting rumor:

• The Committee to Re-Elect Rahm Emanuel said: This is a rumor, I repeat, a rumor. The news from 740 north Sedgwick is that no charges against the cheaters on the lieutenant exam will be allowed. In return EJ will fire all officers on the scene of the MacDonald shooting plus the detective, his sergeant, his lieutenant, Roy, McNaughton, Riccio and Escalante. The POs, detective and Sgt are royally f*%#*d. But don't worry, all exempts will retire just prior to termination, get their exempt stars and IDs and be well taken care of with huge pensions. All this to save Rahm's career. I wonder what Joe F was promised. Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration? But like I said-this is just a rumor. I'm sure it's just rumor.  
• Yo SCC word is coming out that 12 people whose name is on the paper of Van Dykes shooting are canned. The exempts all get to retire first. We lose chief of Ds and OCD and McNaughton PLUS Escalante but they are trying to get him his college job first. POs are collateral damage to Hilary's reform agenda. Rahm can't get his cabinet spot till he shakes this scandal. Sorry officers the Rham bus is backing up to Washington DC and you are in the way. Command Staff all get to waltz out in next week or so with their retired gold stars from Don O'Neil. 

We're not sure it's "just" a rumor. This is Chicago, and buying off an Inspector General wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. Obviously, Eddie isn't going to do anything about ExamScam II - that's what Rahm is holding over his head.

We're told McNaughton retired abruptly Friday.

This would leave a bunch of cops suing to get their jobs back. Typical city bullshit.

UPDATE: Numerous comments claiming Escalante got the college job. This is looking less and less like a rumor and more and more like a lynch job.

Send us the Schedules

Manpower up north this weekend left a lot to chance:

• OT: Today (13AUG), 016 has 3 beat cars up. All the rest are downed or assigned to the parade.
  
  
• Anonymous said...
  
  There are a total of 3 cars and 2 sargents up in 016 today. 5 cars a up in 017. Where is the outrage? Some of the highest tax paying areas of the city getting no police presence or service. And this will only get worse as retirements continue. Mayor doesn't give 2 shits about police or tax paying citizens. Where is the union on this. God damn joke!

 This is beyond ridiculous. And it's beyond a safety issue.

Send us the schedules for the day with all the down cars and we'll post em after removing the names and star numbers. If you can, take a snapshot of the "USM" screen that shows which beat cars are down all night and we'll post those, too.

Another Slum Times "Expert"

Still catering to the low information readers:

• Two newly released police reports in the controversial fatal shooting of 18-year-old Paul O’Neal differ in what they say about the teen’s actions while fleeing police.
  
  Several police reports pertaining to the July 28 incident were released Friday to the Chicago Sun-Times. One officer in his report wrote that O’Neal “reached into his waistband” as he ran from officers.
  
  That could indicate the officer believed O’Neal was reaching for a weapon. And yet, it is not repeated in any other officer’s report released Friday. The most detailed narrative in the documents released Friday is a major incident report that describes the pursuit of the stolen vehicle and the foot chase, but makes no mention of O’Neal reaching into his waistband.

Um, did you see the videos lady? The first two cops were up close and personal, almost getting hit by the Jaguar, flinging lead downrange, running to catch up to the wrecked cars. That's what their body-cam videos show - what else would it show? And the reports are reflective of that.

The third cop, the one involved in the head-on collision, his viewpoint is entirely different. He's attacked by a car flying at him, he can probably hear [police] bullets whizzing by, the driver flees between houses, over fences.His report is going to be completely different from the first two guys. Additionally, these cameras don't see through walls, and there doesn't seem to be a zoom feature.

Congratulations Sun Times, you proven that different people in different positions see different things from different viewpoints!

• A police tactical response report states: “Subject intentionally rammed his vehicle into RO’s vehicle while numerous shots were simultaneously heard coming from the direction of the offenders vehicle. During pursuit offender failed to comply to verbal commands while reaching into his waist band.”
  
  However, a major incident notification omits any mention of the teen reaching into a waistband, which could have led police to fear a potential gun.

And? The Major Incident Notification Log is simply a summary of information known at the time so some boss can answer general media questions if there's a press conference somewhere. It isn't a TRR, it isn't a summary of an interview, it isn't even a Detective Supp.

Here's a small clue - complete information is seldom on a preliminary report.

And evidently, it's seldom found in media reports either - not when there's an agenda to be pushed.

Milwaukee Burns

Over yet another justified shooting. The Wisconsin National Guard has been placed on standby:

• Wisconsin’s governor put the National Guard on standby Sunday in case of another outbreak of violence in Milwaukee, after a deadly police shooting touched off a night of arson and rock-throwing in a mostly black neighborhood.
  
  At least four businesses were burned and an officer was hurt by a thrown brick in the unrest that erupted on the city’s north side Saturday night a few hours after the killing of a black man who authorities say was armed and fleeing a traffic stop.

So the cops killed another altar boy?

• Online court records showed a range of criminal charges against Smith, many of them misdemeanors, but also a 2015 felony charge of witness intimidation that was eventually dropped by prosecutors.

Witness intimidation for another shooting case. At least he was unarmed, right?

• Mayor Tom Barrett said police stopped the motorist for what the mayor described only as “suspicious activity.” Police said the man was carrying a gun that had been stolen in a burglary in March.
  
  “There were 23 rounds in that gun that that officer was staring at,” the mayor said. “I want to make sure we don’t lose any police officers in this community, either.”

Thank goodness the officer was white, correct?

• Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said the officer who fatally shot Smith is also black.

Well, no doubt the politicians are standing behind the MPD and not throwing gasoline on the fire?

• A Milwaukee alderman called the melee a warning from black residents that they are “tired of living under this oppression.”

So let us get this straight.....

• black felon...
• history of violence against black people...
• armed with stolen gun...
• shot in the chest and arm (in the front of the body)...
• by a black cop...

This is oppression how exactly?

So the "community" is burning the city and attacking white people. Oh, you didn't see that part? Imagine that. And they're attacking reporters, too.

Promising Life Cut Short

Son of a cop:

• The 19-year-old son of a Chicago police officer was shot and killed Sunday morning, hours before he was due to return to college in New York, police and family members said.
  
  The shooting took place in the Wrightwood neighborhood on the Southwest Side just after midnight, according to police.
  
  Neighbors in the 2900 block of West 82nd Street reported hearing several gunshots. Police arrived to find 19-year-old Arshell Dennis and another man, age 20, wounded by gunfire.

Reports in the media are saying it was a case of mistaken identity, which is of absolutely no comfort to the family we're sure. Deepest condolences to Officer Dennis and the entire Dennis family on their tragic loss.

Rahm Losing His Mind

Well, not really. He's playing a game, trying to look sympathetic...like he cares:

• After three recent shootings that injured young children, Mayor Emanuel unloaded today on gang members.
  
  Emanuel was marking the end of the One Summer Chicago Program that put 30,000 young people to work, and after the ceremony his anger and frustration was palpable.
  
  “I will guarantee you whatever gang-banger that pulled that trigger, he hasn’t visited one of those children in the hospital,” said Emanuel, his voice rising. “Have they called the mother? Have they called the grandmother. Have they checked on the health of these young kids?”
  
  “They have, not once, shown remorse, accountability, said they were sorry. What shoulder have they provided that mother? What comfort?”
  
  He also questioned how gang-bangers with long criminal records are back on the street.

Um, why would a gang banger visit a victim? Wouldn't that be an admission of guilt? We mean, they're stupid and have pretty much no moral compass, but we don't think they're going to run in and put themselves up for a lengthy prison sentence.

And the lack of remorse and accountability? Are you joking? The Cook County Democrats have been teaching "no accountability" for years now, decades even. Prickwrinkle and Dart are emptying the jail. Chief Judge Evans can't even get his courts to follow and sentence according to actual law. Rahm is giving away money hand over fist. Obama is pardoning people a few hundred at a time, and his "Justice" Department and other federal agencies are on political witch hunts, not looking for justice.

How about Rahm make some efforts on his front to sort of "lead by example." Open a gun range in the city so gang bangers don't hit innocent bystanders. And stop visiting people who supply guns / incite murder in the neighborhood and then play like a victim when their ten-year-old catches a few rounds from the dead guy's family in retaliation.

#plm

We'll just leave this here:

#PigeonLivesMatter

This Was a Good Idea?

We hope this is just an unsubstantiated rumor:

• Whoever made the command decision to put 77 recruits in long sleeve shirts a tie, blue baseball caps, day glow green safety vests NO duty belts, NO ballistic vests, NO radios on the irons at the parade needs to be fired immediately.
  
  Ultimately Escalante and Johnson signed off on the order.

Amazing.

Rain Delay

The guys are HeyJackass.com have a great sense of humor:

From 1430 to 2100 hours - Rain Delay.

We chuckled at that one.

Timely Warning - Not

Glad to see the word is getting out promptly:

• Friday, August 12, 2016 10:25PM
  
  CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dozens of pickpocket thefts have been reported around popular lakefront Maggie Daley Park in downtown Chicago recently, and police are warning visitors to be vigilant. Police said they are investigating what may have been a spree of thefts.
  
  Chicago police said on July 30, pickpockets pulled off 32 thefts throughout the heart of the city, most inside Maggie Daley Park.

So did CPIC put out this warning as the thefts were happening on 30 July and the media is finally reporting it? Or did the warning come out Friday when no one is going to notice it and the media dutifully reported something from almost two weeks ago after Lolla has already wrapped up and left town?

We're Confused...Again

We're getting so many confusing and contradictory messages lately:

• Today on WVON the theory is that police are not stopping these shooters because the police are .... Wait for it... Racist. OMG so now the low life thug [killings] and shootings of innocents are the police fault because "if they are [willing] to kill [young] blacks, then they must be [allowing] violence too".

So if we stop members of the "community," we're racist.

If we don't stop members of the "community" we're...racist?

And if we don't prevent shootings that used to be prevented by stopping gun-toting thugs, we're allowing violence to occur....probably because we're racist again.

You know, it's probably safer to stay at home today and ingest large amounts of whiskey while attempting to make sense of this convoluted reasoning....or just enjoy the buzz.

Water Balloon = Gunfire

Even a summer day in broad daylight isn't safe:

• A 6-year-old girl who was shot in the head in Chicago's Park Manor neighborhood as she played outside with friends Thursday afternoon is now out of surgery.
  
  [...] Zariah and some friends were playing with water balloons near East 68th Street and South Calumet Avenue around 2:30 p.m. Thursday when someone walked up and opened fire, police said.
  
  The child was wounded in the back of her head. She was transported to Comer, where her condition stabilized. She was listed in fair condition Friday morning.

Anyone wonder if the "community" thinks the police have "abandoned" this neighborhood, too?

Another "Delayed"

So who's going to get the number along with the CompStat interrogation?

• A man beaten last week after a confrontation with people who blocked the car he was in on the West Side has died, authorities said Thursday.
  
  Andre Jackson, 23, was injured in an attack in the 4500 block of West Gladys Avenue, and pronounced dead at 5:51 a.m. Tuesday at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to authorities. Jackson died of complications from multiple blunt force injuries in a homicide, the Cook County medical examiner’s office determined Wednesday following an autopsy.
  
  Jackson and a 20-year-old man were in a vehicle near Gladys and Kolmar avenues about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 4 when a group of people blocked their path, resulting in a verbal dispute, said [...], a police spokesman.
  
  The two men were hit with bats and fists, but they managed to get away to the 4800 block of West Quincy Street, where they called 911.

So beaten in 011, transported from 015, died in 010. Spread the credit around.