Each Chicago police district has a District Advisory Committee, which serves to provide advice and community based strategies that address underlying conditions contributing to crime and disorder in the district

The DACs should represent the various stakeholders in a community. Think: residents, businesses, houses of worship, libraries, parks, schools, and community-based organizations...

Outside of myself and another Documenter, there doesn’t seem to be any public presence. We’re actually still waiting on a few officials to roll in and get this meeting started

Sgt. Allen calls the meeting to order. We’re off!

Attendance is poor at this meeting. Pictured are the only committee members present. Normally there are at least 10 people here, including the district commander.

Allen is about to run through reports from various committees that compose the DAC. He explains that he won’t read off every part of the report, just what he understands to be the most important

The first order of business concerns a report from the officer (who isn’t present) overseeing the business community. Allen says the Madison/Springfield plaza area has been “extremely troublesome.”

Allen says the owner of the lot, along with some other business owners, voiced concerns about this area, and now the security detail assigned to this area has been doubled.

Next up is a report from the Domestic Violence Committee officer (not present). This division is planning an educational event concerning domestic, “Promoting Love Without Boundaries,” which will take place on April 11 at the Quest Multisport Center

The event will feature guest speakers, including a survivor of domestic violence who will be there to speak about her journey from victim to survivor. There will also be workshops and vendors representing resources for folks in this community

Senior Committee is next. Allen talks about Fannie Emanuel Senior Housing, where he says there have been reports of abuse of the senior residents.

The senior committee officer paid a visit to this home and “presented about the arrestable offenses taking place.”

Now we go to the youth committee, which has been hosting chess tournaments every Wednesday. Apparently they’ve been a hit... Allen describes chess as an “up-and-coming game that’s really blowing up.” Says he’s going to start learning, too.

Another youth event has been the cotillion. Here the young kids are learning waltzes and other dances, but they also participate in college readiness programs.

The Faith-Based Committee is next. Big news here is that on Wednesday’s around 6/6:30 pm, starting in June, the “100 Blocks & 100 Churches” event will commence.

Allen says people wear red shirts, clean up the neighborhood, and partake in prayer on the streets during this event.

Allen predicts a “sea of red” during these events. He’s been in the CAPs for 6 years and expects this year’s showing to be the biggest ever. “100 Blocks & 100 Churches” will end in August

Another facet of the DAC is District Court Advocacy, where Officer Wilma Santana takes almost a dozen people to attend court hearings, where their presence is a sign of support *for* the sentence being given

Allen moves the meeting on to old business. Attendance was huge at last year’s tree-lighting ceremony—Allen says 200 people attended. Onto new business

“The big, hot, juicy piece of business,” Allen says, is the Community Conversation. He says the 11th District had about 140 people at the first meeting, where community members participated in creating the 11th’s new Community Policing Strategic Plan

This new community plan, Allen says, is mandatory—part of the city’s push for more citizen involvement in policing. The next one, folks, takes place on April 3

Moving on. Allen says they need to start elections to find new beat facilitators for the DAC. Beat Facilitators live on the beat and sit with the police at community beat meetings, which the beat facilitators help run.

Allen wants to see more young people in this role

This May, the DAC will hold elections for new beat facilitators.

Allen’s last piece of business is a “Diversion Program.” The CPD is working with Thresholds to provide support for people seeking recovery from drug use. “Support” here means screenings, linkage, and treatment. Walk-ins are welcome

Ope, one more thing. Allen is trying to form a peace march. It’s inspired by the “Faith-In-Action” events that have recently taken place over Memorial Day Weekend

Allen would call this March the “Peace March for Resources,” which would start around Madison and Keeler on May 24. The March will end at Garfield Park. Goal will be to have it be youth-led.

No other orders of business, and now a new officer has come into the meeting room to inform us that the elevator is broken. And with that, the meeting is adjourned! In all it took about 45 minutes and ended at 7. Thanks for stopping by