A Chicago Cop Talks to Me

       It was mid morning two days ago when a Chicago cop walked into my Museum with wife and kids, down vacationing in Tucson. Three days in, he's relaxed now, unwinding, letting a lot of stress out. I work with two ex-cops who immediately glued themselves to him comparing notes.
       " Chicago is too damned dangerous " he says. He's been on the force 17 years loves his job, middle management street cop. " I carry a pistol every time I leave the house, on duty, off, even going to the store. Something ALWAYS happens, " he says.
       He tells us Chicago has 12 to 14 MURDERS every weekend, ' without fail.'
       " Don't believe anything your read in the papers or on TV. Its far worse. We've got coded radio signals we use when we talk to each other, "  he tells us. Some of the bad guys are so vicious, so deadly, that when they receive warnings from radio dispatch sometimes they will say, " S.O.S."
       " What that really means is SHOOT ON SIGHT."
       He and some of his family have been on the Obama family security details when the first family arrived back at Chicago for a stay. Obama security team insists that Chicago PD block off the entire city block, and patrol does so on foot, outside, in the rain. He's said the family has never invited the patrolmen inside the house to get out of the elements.
       "I don't know one city cop who likes them. Not one. Now, understand, I'm sure there are some out there, but I haven't met them yet, " the Chicago cop told us. He carries his pistol, CPD ID and other tangent ID while travelling around the country.
       We asked him how the immigrant situation is in Illinois, his response was that Illegal immigrants, when identified by CPD, contacted Immigration Customs Enforcement (the Feds), are instructed that the DOJ said to " kick them loose," they don't want them. Our cop friend told us he personally knows where he can pick up a dozen illegals in the Chicago area, but because ICE said forget it, he does too.
        And so do the local cops.
        And guns? He tells us there are so many guns in Chicago, they couldn't even begin to count them, let alone control them. They leak across the border from Canada, and up from the south.
        IF Chicago Cops stop someone suspected of being in the country ILLEGALLY while in the of a crime, must fill out so much paper work justifying the stop based on "profiling" that sometimes, they arrest the suspects on larceny, or robbery.
        The new legislation on "profiling?" Signed into law by Senator Barack Obama and enforced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, he said to us.He, his wife and son went on for a pleasant hour visit in our Museum here in Tucson.
###