Friday, March 20, 2009

Rent-a-cops could write tickets on South Side :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall

Rent-a-cops could write tickets on South Side :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall: "Private security guards patrolling three Far South Side commercial strips would be empowered to write tickets -- for everything from parking and moving violations to loitering, littering and graffiti -- under a groundbreaking plan that faces strong resistance from rank-and-file Chicago Police officers.
The controversial idea comes at a time when City Hall is slowing police hiring and violent crime is up. Aldermen Anthony Beale (9th) and John Pope (10th) said they're putting the finishing touches on an ordinance that would mark a precedent-setting expansion of the powers of private security officers hired by local property owners."

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This is a huge expansion of something that has been going on for years in the Marquette Park neighborhood. My former doctoral student Jim Pastor wrote his dissertation about it. There is now one firm in mind--Total Security Management of Oakbrook Terrace. This being Chicago, questions begin to come to mind immediately, but I will hold off on that kind of speculation for now.

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