[remote or in person] 24th Police District Council - Rogers Park/West Ridge/Edgewater Glen

Chicago Police District Councils
Criminal Justice

Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025
3:00 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. CST

Add to iCal

Add to Google Calendar

6907 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60626 (Directions)

Rogers Park Library

This is an in-person assignment and will include an additional hour of pay. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK the meeting details on the day of your assignment, as dates and locations sometimes change.

Pre-Research Resources

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Renea Goddard

Live reporting by Kenji Granberry

The 24th District Council plans to work with the 17th, 19th, and 20th District Councils to create a restorative justice court in the Rogers Park, West Ridge, Edgewater Glen area.

I joined during public comment, but all three members of the DC are present. Chair Veronica Arreola and Edvette Jones, responsible for community engagement, are present in person; while Marilyn Pagan-Banks is virtual but visible on Zoom.

There are ~15-20 members of the public.

Here’s the agenda for today’s meeting:

When I join there’s a lively back-and-forth between the Chair and attendees about existing communications and relationships between @chicagopolice.bsky.social and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) related to DHS’ recent activities in the city.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/24/ice-agents-denied-entry-at-cps-school-in-back-of-the-yards/

Chair Arreola reminds the public that as elected officials district council members are supposed to be able to get information directly from CPD officials, in this case Commander Alison Christian, without FOIAs.

More on Commander Christian:
https://the48thward.org/blog/new-police-commanders-christian-24th-giltmier-20th
https://m.cpdp.co/officer/4588/

The Chair further reminds the public that there are three DC members per district and 22 districts across the city (66, if all seats are filled) that meet quarterly.

She says one of the priorities among DC members is to make sure that the planning committee for quarterly meetings is representative.

One question from an older man named Dale is around the safety of undocumented and/or migrating residents attempting to avoid extreme weather by sheltering at CPD stations.

Chair Arreola doesn’t know definitively what the department is doing on this front, but commits to following up.

A follow-up question on the Secret Service’s presence at Hamlin Elementary is asked by an unnamed local school council member joining remotely.

Chair Arreola describes the response as “ridiculous,” citing attacks on other public officials, but is glad “schools were trained on how to handle this.”

Another attendee named Mara seeks clarity on what information she can get about the officers patrolling her best. She describes going to a station to get this, but being told, “I’m not allowed to know.”

Chair Arreola says that she’ll follow-up and provide a list of beat officers in the district.

The Chair reminds attendees that the public can attend beat meetings and encourages it, but notes her own ability is limited as DC participation is voluntary.

She offers tag-teaming them with the public as a possible solution and Jones adds that Beat Captains are invited to DC meetings.

On follow-up about DC meetings in 2025, Chair Arreola says that they are still being scheduled and that the frequency will be monthly.

Northtown and Edgewater libraries are expected alternatives; Jones asks attendees to bring other space suggestions to her.

Beats Walsh, a 40-year resident of the area, notes that beat meetings are rarely attended by the same officer consistently. She believes this is related to the staffing issues and shortages that have long-plagued CPD.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/12/15/23512050/staffing-woes-hamper-cpd-reform-efforts-new-report-warns

Walsh says that attending beat meetings helps her feel safer. Having officers know her face makes her feel attended to when she has an issue or needs assistance.

Mara offers an opposing view. For her, beat meetings are unproductive whereas DCs allow her to get information in a friendlier space.

Dale further adds that there used to be “civilian representatives” who acted as intermediaries between police and the public at best meetings; in his retelling they often advocated for local resident concerns and developed strategy with Commanders.

Another attendee, David, believes that consistency in presence seems to be the main problem when it comes to addressing substance use and violence.

Chair Arreola concurs, saying that she’s heard from previous Commanders that they “do not anticipate any return to the beat cop [structure].”

Given that reality, she adds, “We need to have even better training and consequences [for] officers who violate our rights.”

There’s a slightly tense follow-up with David, but Chair Arreola reiterates her commitment to not calling police unless she knows that a responding officer can ensure safety.

“Unless I feel comfortable calling an officer, I won’t report crime… White supremacists do not appreciate our rights… and accountability is the foundation of public safety.”

With these final remarks, Chair Arreola closes the meeting at 3:58pm.

The next District Council Meeting for the 24th will take place at the Northtown Library, February 23rd, 2025, at 3pm.

Thanks for joining along!

*Beata (autocorrect is troublesome)

Agency Information

Chicago Police District Councils

See meeting notes for details

www.chicago.gov

See Documenters reporting

Each of the 22 District Councils is made up of three people elected by residents of the police district in regular municipal elections every four years, though anyone can participate in District Council work, and the more people who participate, the more effective the District Councils can be. The first District Council elections occurred in February 2023. Just as Chicagoans vote for a mayor and a local ward Alderperson, they also vote for up to three people to serve on the District Council.

The District Councils have several key roles:

  • Building stronger connections between the police and the community at the district level, where the community is a true partner in making the neighborhood safer. They can work with the police to address problems and set priorities.
  • Collaborating in the development and implementation of community policing initiatives.
  • Holding monthly public meetings, where residents can work on local initiatives rooted in community concerns and priorities. They can also raise and work to address concerns about policing in the district, and increase accountability.
  • Working with the community to get input on police department policies and practices. Working to develop and expand restorative justice and similar programs in the police district.
  • Ensuring that the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability gets input from the community, so that the Commission’s work will be based on what people in neighborhoods across the city are concerned about.
  • Nominating members of the Community Commission. Anyone who serves on the Community Commission must first have the support of elected District Council members.

(Source: Municipal Code of Chicago, 2-80-070(a) and (e))

For a map of police districts, visit https://www.chicagocityscape.com/maps/index.php#/?places_type=chipolicedistrict.

More from this agency

Police District Council 024 - Rogers Park (Rogers Park, Edgewater, West Ridge)

Chicago Police District Councils

Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025

3:00 p.m. CST

Police District Council 018 - Near North (Lincoln Park, Near North Side, West Town, Logan Square)

Chicago Police District Councils

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025

6:00 p.m. CST

Police District Council 009 - Deering

Chicago Police District Councils

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025

6:30 p.m. CST

Police District Council 001 - Central (Loop/River West/Near South Side)

Chicago Police District Councils

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025

6:00 p.m. CST