Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime
Monique Garcia, Rick Pearson and Hal Dardick, Chicago Tribune
July 16, 2008
Seizing upon the controversy enveloping Mayor Richard Daley over Chicago gun violence and city policing, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Wednesday he’s holding discussions with his State Police and Illinois National Guard officials about any crime-fighting role they can play.
“I think today it’s fair to say that violent crime in Chicago is out of control,” Blagojevich said. “That in certain communities in the city of Chicago, it’s reaching epidemic proportions.”
Blagojevich said he hasn’t talked to the mayor about the issue—he planned to call Daley—and that the administration’s discussions are preliminary.
“I’m offering the resources of the state to the city to work in a constructive way with Mayor Daley to do everything that we possibly can to help them end this violence,” said Blagojevich at a news conference in which he signed into law a measure that would increase penalties for adults who give minors guns.
The governor said one idea is to bring state troopers into the city to monitor hot spots.
Just how the State Police would play a significant role is questionable since Blagojevich has only recently begun rebuilding its ranks after union officials say the agency lost more than 10 percent of its positions from 2001 through 2005 and patrolling of many areas, particularly during nights and weekends, is spotty at best.
Blagojevich suggested that recently retired troopers might be able to come back for a few months to help out in Chicago.
The governor’s offer could be more politically embarrassing than helpful for Daley, who has been conscious of the city’s image as he tries to win the 2016 Olympic Games.
Daley spokeswoman Jackie Heard said the mayor found out about the idea through media reports.
“We’re obviously not going to turn away help on a front as important as this,” Heard said. “At the same time, we’re a little puzzled about how it would work. It’s unprecedented. Obviously, help in the form of reducing the number of guns on the street go a long way to addressing the problem.”
Despite Blagojevich’s repeated vows to help Daley’s efforts on major gun-control legislation in Springfield, the governor has exerted little of what capital remains among rank-and-file lawmakers on an issue that still pits strong feelings between Downstate and urban voters.
The governor’s offer of assistance comes after Daley’s opposition last week to a major gambling expansion bill that would provide money to help Blagojevich create a $34 billion public works construction bill. City Hall wants a casino, but doesn’t want to pay the state $500 million for the right to have one, as Blagojevich’s plan seeks. The proposal has little support in the Illinois House, headed by Blagojevich nemesis, Speaker Michael Madigan.
Blagojevich and Daley have not been politically close. Like Daley, Blagojevich has alienated many leading Democrats in the state—Senate President Emil Jones being a strong exception—over a style of governing that critics contend is dominated more by a personal publicity pop than putting any substance behind it.
September 16th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
[...] natives to end blockade | RCMP e-mails throw Dziekanski Taser probe into question, critics say | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | RCMP conducts random search and seizure on [...]
September 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
[...] final days | Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | My gun, my right. We’ll see | Municipalities Join [...]
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
[...] final days | Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | My gun, my right. We’ll see | Municipalities Join [...]
September 29th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
[...] | Public conditioning continues: Ratings reach ‘Flashpoint’ for tactical assault squad drama | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | [...]
October 20th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
[...] For now I can only make note of what I see in the works; Illinois governor suggest National Guard help with Chicago gun crime. [...]
November 7th, 2008 at 11:34 am
[...] | Public conditioning continues: Ratings reach ‘Flashpoint’ for tactical assault squad drama | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | [...]
November 14th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
[...] For now I can only make note of what I see in the works; Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime. [...]
November 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
[...] For now I can only comment on what I see in the works; Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime. [...]
December 12th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
[...] | Public conditioning continues: Ratings reach ‘Flashpoint’ for tactical assault squad drama | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | [...]
February 13th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
[...] terror suspects | Britain considers giant database of all phone calls, EMails, browsing history | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Edmonton police rounded up women for ‘talent nights,’ hearing told | RCMP conducts random [...]
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
[...] | Public conditioning continues: Ratings reach ‘Flashpoint’ for tactical assault squad drama | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | [...]
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:42 pm
[...] final days | Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | My gun, my right. We’ll see | Municipalities Join [...]
March 27th, 2009 at 12:21 am
[...] debate | UK Surveillance Commissioner calls for intelligence officers to work with municipalities | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Toronto artist seeks explanation for police raid | RCMP conducts random search and seizure on [...]
April 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
[...] terror suspects | Britain considers giant database of all phone calls, EMails, browsing history | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Edmonton police rounded up women for ‘talent nights,’ hearing told | RCMP conducts random [...]
April 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
[...] terror suspects | Britain considers giant database of all phone calls, EMails, browsing history | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Edmonton police rounded up women for ‘talent nights,’ hearing told | RCMP conducts random [...]
June 13th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
[...] [...]
July 16th, 2009 at 10:52 am
[...] [...]
January 31st, 2010 at 8:24 am
[...] final days | Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | My gun, my right. We’ll see | Municipalities Join [...]
April 23rd, 2010 at 1:17 am
[...] [...]
June 9th, 2010 at 1:31 am
[...] final days | Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime | Armed Police to Roam Toronto High Schools | My gun, my right. We’ll see | Municipalities Join [...]
June 11th, 2010 at 4:04 am
[...] Related: Chicago, awash in gun violence, gives Toronto advice: You need a gun ban like ours | Illinois governor suggests National Guard help with Chicago gun crime [...]