Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he's not happy with the surge in Chicago violence - but he's not taking all the blame for it either.
In the first three months of this year, the city has seen a 60 percent rise in homicidescompared to the same period in 2011.
He didn't name names, but he implied it was an inherited problem.
"The rise in homicides, close to 70 to 80 percent of them, is all gang-on-gang or gang reprisals," Emanuel said. "Our police department, until this time, never really had a true gang audit of who was in what gang. Who's on parole? Who's on probation? What were they in for to finally deal with the reprisals so you have a proactive gang strategy [instead of] a reactive one."
Mayor Emanuel said his police are cracking down on curfew violators, liquor stores that harbor drug dealers, and the tracking gangs through an audit.
He has also shifted 600 officers to problem spots and spending money on summer programs for kids.
"You can say, 'Are you doing it right,'" Emanuel said, "but the question is, 'Why were those policies not done before?'"
Yet, the superintendent of police has refused to return calls from one organization known for diffusing violence before it happens.
Ceasefire's Tio Hardiman said he has tried repeatedly to reach out to Superintendent Garry McCarthy since he stepped into the post.
"We've made several phone calls to the superintendent to see if we can help him strategize and help cool things down," Hardiman said.
Hardiman's organization worked with some of Chicago's previous superintendent Phil Cline when the city was known as the murder capital of the country.
He said gang audits are just one tool, but he points out that Chicago cannot "arrest" its way out of the violence. Right now, Hardiman said the gangs are breaking off into little factions and cliques.
"The gangs are not like they used to be where one guy is calling all the shots," Hardiman said. "You have a lot of renegades. You have guys going to sleep at night thinking who they are going to shoot the next day. It's more of a ‘thinking problem.' It's about behavior."
His group goes into the hot spots when they hear about a brewing problem.
Admittedly, he said there are times when his group can not quell the violence and in those cases, they notify police.
Hardiman hopes McCarthy will figure out a solution
Thursday, May 23 2013 1:43 PM EDT2013-05-23 17:43:15 GMT
Kerry Kennedy has joined farmworkers protesting outside Wendy's shareholder meeting in Manhattan.
Kerry Kennedy has joined farmworkers protesting outside Wendy's shareholder meeting in Manhattan. The protesters said Thursday they want Wendy's to sign an agreement to safeguard working conditions for Florida tomato pickers.
Thursday, May 23 2013 12:55 PM EDT2013-05-23 16:55:29 GMT
A $1,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two men seen running to and away from a homicide scene Tuesday night in Camden.
A $1,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two men seen running to and away from a homicide scene Tuesday night in Camden.
Thursday, May 23 2013 10:06 AM EDT2013-05-23 14:06:33 GMT
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Thursday, May 23 2013 9:07 AM EDT2013-05-23 13:07:03 GMT
The NYPD arrested a suspect in the latest anti-gay attack in the city, said police.
The NYPD arrested a suspect in the latest anti-gay attack in the city, said police. The incident Monday night involved two men, who police say, had met at the Bowery Mission and went out drinking together in the East Village. Roman Gornell, 39, was arrested on Wednesday.
Thursday, May 23 2013 9:05 AM EDT2013-05-23 13:05:21 GMT
Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt made a trip to the birthplace of Frank Sinatra on Wednesday night to promote his new movie, "World War Z."
Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt made a trip to the birthplace of Frank Sinatra on Wednesday night to promote his new movie, "World War Z." Pitt stunned the crowd at the Clearview Cinemas when he walked in just before the start of the special screening.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:23 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:23:09 GMT
New Jersey officials have seized inventory and demanded records from 29 bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, that they say sold low-quality liquor to patrons who thought they were buying premium brands.
New Jersey officials have seized inventory and demanded records from 29 bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, that they say sold low-quality liquor to patrons who thought they were buying premium brands.
Thursday, May 23 2013 6:28 AM EDT2013-05-23 10:28:29 GMT
The parolee shot and killed along with a Hofstra University student by police won praise from a state parole panel in 2011 before his conditional release from prison.
The parolee shot and killed along with a Hofstra University student by police won praise from a state parole panel in 2011 before his conditional release from prison.
