You can download a PDF of minutes from the 2/11/2008 Beat 2431 meeting here. Below is the text version of the minutes.
Rogers Park, 24th Police District, Beat 2431
CAPS Meeting, February 11, 2008
Rogers Park Community Council Office
1530 W. Morse Avenue
Officiates:
Kevin O’Neil, Facilitator, CAPS Beat 2431
Beat Team Leader Sgt. John Baranowski
Welcome and introductions: Meeting called to order at 7:03 pm. About 20 people (including police) attended on a bitter cold night.
I. Police crime report: Beat Team Leader Sgt. John Baranowski presented the Top Ten crimes for the month of January. Find them here. The top three were:
• Eight arrests for possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana.
• Six incidents of harassment by telephone.
• Five reports of domestic battery (simple battery).
• Five reports of criminal damage to vehicle.
There were 31 arrests on the beat in January, compared to 26 in December.
II. Updates on Old Problems:
1340 W. Morse / 1345 W. Lunt
Both buildings have now been vacated of tenants. New roofs have been installed on both, and installation begins this week of new windows. See this report for more details on the buildings.
Soo Liquors, 1420 W. Morse
Kevin O’Neil announced that Soo Liquors had signed a Memorandum of Understanding drafted by Alderman Joe Moore’s office. Click here for details on the memo. Soo’s owner signed the memo after he was cited for not having a proper license for the canopy sign hanging over the sidewalk. The sign was removed. The alderman’s office said they wouldn’t approve of the sign license unless the owner signed the memo and worked with DevCorp North to design a canopy sign.
Among other promises, Soo’s owners said they would sign complaints against loiterers, stop selling Phillies “blunt” cigars (used for smoking marijuana), and stop selling rolling papers, glass pipes, malt liquor, cheap wine and small half pints of booze costing less than $3. Read this post for more details.
III. Identify New Problem areas:
A citizen who lives near Pratt and Bosworth brought up the ongoing problem of gang loitering in the area. Community Policing Offer Steven Cohen said that area is a priority of Beat 2432, since the problem buildings are in that beat on the south side of Pratt. Sgt. Baranowski suggested that citizens begin keeping activity logs, noting times and dates of suspicious activity, descriptions of loiterers and descriptions of cars and plate numbers.
The citizen suggested we “turn up the heat” on the owner of the convenience store on the northwest corner of Pratt and Ashland. O’Neil said he would try to facilitate a meeting with the alderman’s office, the store owner and building owner, the Living Word church. The same citizen also reported a window was missing on the ground level of the building at the southwest corner of Farwell and Ashland. The building is vacant and had been undergoing renovations, though they seemed to have come to a stop. He was advised to call 311 about that.
(Read the continuation of this post for January crimes in and around Pratt and Bosworth.)
Another citizen reported being assaulted by someone she knew in a building in the 6800 block on N. Sheridan. She asked to discuss the matter privately with officers after the meeting.
IV. Beat priorities:
The discussion continued from the January meeting about beat priorities for the year. Other priorities are illegal activities at Pratt and Bosworth/Ashland and at Soo Liquors.
V. Announcements:
• The next Beat Meeting is on Monday, March 17, 2008. In March we go back to our regular meeting date of the third Monday of the month.
• Kevin adjourned the meeting at 7:50 pm.
January crimes in and around Pratt and Bosworth, from EveryBlock Chicago:
In Beat 2432:
- Jan. 2: Domestic battery, simple, 6700 block of N. Bosworth
- Jan. 4: Motor Vehicle theft, 6700 block of N. Ashland
- Jan. 6: Possession of cannabis, sidewalk, 6600 block of N. Bosworth
- Jan. 12: Theft, $300 or less, on street, 6700 block of N. Greenview
- Jan. 15: Public peace violation, reckless conduct, sidewalk, 6700 block of N. Bosworth
- Jan. 15: Deceptive practice, illegal use of cash card, apartment, 6700 block of N. Bosworth
- Jan. 16: Possession of cannabis, residence, porch/hallway, 6700 block of N. Bosworth
- Jan. 28: Simple battery, residence, porch/hallway, 1600 block of W. Pratt
- Jan. 30: Possession of cannabis, sidewalk, 1500 block of W. Pratt
In Beat 2431:
- Jan. 8: Theft from building, coin-operated machine, 6900 block of W. Pratt
- Jan. 9: Theft, $300 or under, street, 1400 block of W. Pratt
- Jan. 21: Vandalism, criminal damage to property, apartment, 1500 block of W. Pratt
