He's Not Happy to See You

Every couple of years, something like this happens and every couple of years we remind everyone, "Search, Search and Search again."

• An 18-year-old man who was supposed to leave the Cook County jail on Wednesday is not going home after all. That’s because Kemari Johnson is now facing a fresh charge of possessing a loaded firearm inside the jail.

  Johnson was initially arrested on November 11 after he slammed a Chicago police officer to the floor during a domestic altercation, according to court records. The next day, a judge decided to release Johnson on electronic monitoring, but he stayed in jail for a week, seemingly unable to find a place to live while wearing an ankle monitor.

  According to court records, Judge Lindsay Huge dropped the electronic monitoring requirement on Tuesday, allowing Johnson to leave jail on a nighttime curfew.

  At about 2:50 a.m. Wednesday, a probation officer was preparing to place an ankle monitor designed to track curfew compliance on Johnson’s leg when Johnson popped a question.

  “Can I surrender something?” he asked, officials say.

"something" turned out to be a Taurus 140 semiauto, loaded with seven rounds and a with a spare magazine.

And if we're reading the article correctly, he had it:

• at the domestic incident 11 November;
• during arrest, transport and processing in the District;
• in the transport wagon to Cook County;
• at Cook County receiving;
  
• in the jail itself until 20 November

Are you fucking kidding us? No one found this anywhere? He should have been searched at least five times during his stay - arrest, before transport, during processing, before getting on the transport wagon the next day and at the "bridge." Those are just the instances we're familiar with. The sheriffs might do more in the jail before, during or after court.

Maybe there's something missing from the story, but for God's sake, SEARCH YOUR F#$%ING PRISONERS. And if you accept a prisoner from some other Officer, SEARCH YOUR F#$%ING PRISONER AGAIN.

On Purpose?

Or some weird coincidence?

• A downstate woman has been detained pending trial after prosecutors accused her of shooting a dozen rounds into an off-duty Chicago police officer’s home.

  CPD officers took Bobbi Barnes, 51, into custody in Danville after local officers arrested her on unrelated charges, a Chicago police report said.

  The off-duty officer and her young daughter were sleeping when someone fired shots through their bathroom and living room windows in the 10100 block of South Winston around 4:57 a.m. on March 14, according to prosecutors. Court filings offer conflicting ages for the daughter, with one saying she was 8 years old and the other 11 years old.

  No injuries were reported.

Random crime or something more sinister?

Dallas Tragedy

Scant details, but looks like some sort of ambush on the first officer, then waiting around to ambush the responding assist cars:

• Three Dallas police officers were shot, including one fatally, and a suspect who emerged from a vehicle with a long gun was killed by officers after a highway chase, authorities said Friday.

  Just after 10 p.m. Thursday, Dallas police responded to an officer in distress call and found a fellow officer wounded in a squad car, police said. The responding officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect at the scene and two of the officers were shot.

  The three officers were taken to hospitals, where one of them died. The other two were listed in critical and stable condition, police said.

There are a lot of bad actors around the country right now from all sectors - illegals, unlawfuls, peole overly stressed out from personal circumstances. Be aware that any situation could turn south in a heartbeat. Stay safe.

Won't Get Fooled Again

The UN has declared a "health emergency" and is encouraging people to get another vaccine....just in time for the election season. Pardon our skepticism, but unless you're engaging in high risk sexual practices with a high risk individual (like one of those panty-fa jags or an "Alphabet Person for Palestine!") your chances of getting this virus are pretty much zero.

In any event, some wisdom in case Groot shows up to give Conehead advice on violating your bodily integrity:

• Mandated ———->Not a law. 
  Decree —————>Not a law. 
  Requested———->Not a law. 
  Recommended—->Not a law. 
  Ordinance———->Not a law. 
  Compulsory———>Not a law.
  

Do not be deceived…again.

Shades of Riots Past

Remember years ago when we were doing 12 hour shifts and longer for NATO and the 2020 riots? And the city pretended to care about the cops and sent pallets and pallets of snacks and water? 

And then, people noticed the water tasted funny and it was discovered the bottles were two or more years old, meaning the PCB plastics had been leeching into the water for months, perhaps years, exposing everyone to all sorts of health issues. And the snacks should also have been land filled years before. 

We're getting reports of the same thing at Sox Park yesterday:

• ....can you immediately warn the troops not to eat those sandwiches provided by the department. Today, several guys from my company opened the sandwich bags only to find the entire or even parts of the sandwich to be moldy. Who knows how many officers didn’t bother to check the sandwiches before consuming them.

Good times, right?

Safety Issue

We still haven't seen this addressed in any meaningful way:

• [from 2020] The DC Police Union is reporting that one of the city's officers was rushed to the hospital with vision loss after being attacked with a laser by a rioter. According to the union, six officers have been hospitalized for injuries since Thursday night.

There's supposed to be a protective strip across the face shields of the riot helmets that diffuses the lasers, but last we heard, the Department wasn't replacing worn straps, rotting webbing and elastic or cracked face shields. 

And during recent events, the orders from the exempt ranks (earned not given, right?) has been to NOT wear the helmets because they're too intimidating....just carry it (meaning one less hand to use to defend or apprehend) or keep it on the bus (which you aren't anywhere near). 

We know a number of Officers who have purchased their own protective eye wear, but has there been any actual effort to acquire meaningful protection for Officers?

Nationwide Safety Alert

Uncontrolled immigration, now totaling 30 million illegals, is our strength!

• Members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have been given the “green light” to attack and open fire on cops in Denver, a federal memo obtained by The Post reveals.

  The gang is already tied to hundreds of crimes, including the shootings of two NYPD cops who were trying to arrest one of its members in June.

  “Credible human sources from Colorado provided information on TdA [Tren de Aragua] giving a ‘green light’ to fire on or attack law enforcement,” said the memo, from the Homeland Security Investigations office in Chicago.

Keep voting for democrats.

And keep your eyes peeled. These people were camping out in District lobbies not too long ago. Any bets if they were taking notes about procedures?

Next "progressive" Target

What did we say just last week? 

• Stop doing traffic stops 

That set off quite a few angry comments. You think we advised that lightly? That we just think up dumb $hit to post about to provoke controversy?

Check out what CWB is reporting today:

• With the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system soon to be removed from Chicago’s streets, so-called “reform” activists are turning their attention to another tool police find useful: traffic stops.

  Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said in May that her office is developing a policy not to prosecute gun, theft, and drug charges stemming from certain traffic stops. Foxx said her staff would refuse to file charges in most cases if evidence was found during a traffic stop for missing license plates, expired registrations, and other minor infractions. She called the anticipated change “a public safety enhancement effort.”

We saw this coming years ago, and we struggled to reconcile two different schools of thought:

• our desire to do actual police work 
• and our other desire to stay out of Federal Court

After a slew of Federal cases where we were named as defendants or witnesses, we started see what a bunch of old timers had told us - the winds were shifting and weren't headed back any time soon, and we began to accept that police work as we were taught was more dangerous than ever, just not in terms of violence directed at us. 

We were in real danger of losing our houses, salary, savings, deferred comp, pensions, even our actual freedom and families. Not because of conscious criminal acts, but because of the "progressive" mindset taking over the courts.

If you aren't paying attention to the politics in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois today, then you're going to get blindsided one day, for something that was legal and proper just a few years ago.

Heat Builds

A hot stretch of days is probably going to shine another unwanted spotlight on crime after a particularly bloody weekend. 

Yeah yeah, we know McCompStat told us all that weather doesn't have anything to do with crime. We also know McCompStat was (and remains) an idiot. Weather has quite a bit to do with crime, and this string of days with overnight temps remaining in the upper 70s is going to shorten a lot of tempers.

The other thing this "heat dome" reminds us of is 1995 where hundreds of dead bodies were undiscovered for days and then the Morgue got inundated with bodies. That was one of our first experiences with an actual crisis as the police and long before the "body snatchers" existed. It was not a fun time.

Stay cool if you can. Check on your neighbors.

Be Aware

Given the unfolding situation in the Middle East:

• where the president of Iran and other government officials went down in helicopter crash 
• AND the fact that eight or ten million un-screened persons of unknown national origin have been pouring across the border these past few years 
• AND the ongoing Hamas-hole extermination efforts
  
• AND the feebs talking about "red lights flashing everywhere" as a sort of "don't blame us when we miss something" 

You might just want to be extra aware of certain situations and addresses and suspicious calls over the next few days and weeks.

Lasers

Someone was griping about the 3-day Field Force training. One way to avoid it (as we found) was to announce your intent to retire prior to the DNC. They didn't even schedule us for it.

But we were more concerned about something else:

• eye protection against laser damage

We've seen dozens of reports, from here and abroad, about laser pointers being used to "paint" aircraft cockpits, potentially blinding pilots. The FAA has issued all sorts of warnings, many LEO Confidential, so we'll not be posting those.

There are also reports, again from here and abroad, of lasers being used against police in riot/mob situations and Officers suffering significant irreversible eye-damage.

Is there a plan to address any of this? We'll be gone, but we can be concerned for those who are left.

Tow Truck Wars?

The fun never ends in the gunfire city:

• Chicago police officers patrolling Bucktown on Sunday morning nearly drove into the middle of a targeted shooting that left one man injured.

  Surveillance video provided to CWBChicago shows the gunmen leaving an SUV to carry out the shooting and a Chicago police squad car driving up Damen Avenue as the gunfire—at least 25 rounds—erupts on Shakespeare Avenue.

  The shooting, according to multiple sources, stems from ongoing conflicts between tow truck operators. According to CPD reports reviewed by CWBChicago, Sunday’s incident began when the axle broke on a 25-year-old man’s Mitsubishi Eclipse, sending his car into a parked vehicle in the 2100 block of North Damen.

  He called for help from a tow truck, which arrived shortly after. Then, just before 5 a.m., the gunmen, believed to be a rival towing crew, pulled around the corner in an SUV. It stopped at the mouth of the alley.

  Two men jumped out of the SUV and ran up the alley toward the crash site. One of them carried a rifle. As they emerged from the other end of the alley, the gunman started shooting.

Back in the day, some traffic guys used to pocket "finder fees" for notifying selected tow trucks about traffic accidents. More than a couple went to prison over that.

Then some officers used to target tow drivers for UUW arrests, as it was a safe bet that many drivers carried in the shadier neighborhoods for protection....and many tow drivers were convicted felons as that was one of the only jobs they could get.

Now the drivers are ambushing one another. Careful out there.

Check Handcuffs

Remember, this still happens here occasionally:

• Indiana State Police late Friday were trying to figure out how a woman in police custody managed to escape her handcuffs – and steal a LaPorte County police sport-utility vehicle.

  [...] Melissa Collins, 21, of Lafayette, Indiana, was taken into custody and handcuffed at the scene. She was secured in the front passenger seat of a 2021 Ford Explorer police car assigned to LaPorte County Deputy David Grimberg, state police said. But somehow, Collins got out of the handcuffs, unbuckled the seatbelt, and drove off in the police car, state police said. Officers tried to chase Collins, but she got away, state police said.

  As they looked for the stolen police car, state police came upon debris in the roadway in the area of 2100 S and 875 W outside La Crosse, Indiana. They went on to find the stolen police car submerged in the water in a ditch, state police said. It appeared that Collins had crashed the squad car after crossing some railroad tracks at a very high speed, state police said.

  Collins was found dead inside the SUV. An autopsy by the LaPorte County Coroner's office was to determine the cause and manner of her death.

Over our careers, we met two individuals who, even when handcuffed, were able to rotate their arms / shoulders over their heads to bring their cuffed hands in front of their body. We also met a more than a few who could slip the cuffs under their asses and get them in front of their body.

Actually getting out of the handcuffs was a bit rarer, and usually ended up being either improperly secured or having a shim device.

At least this one had a happy ending.

"Rowdy" Illegals

NYPD on the receiving end of a mob of illegals doing illegal mob things:

• Shocking video captured the moment a migrant mob pounded a pair of cops near Times Square over the weekend — but the busted cowardly suspects were still released back onto the street without bail, sources say.

  The footage shows an NYPD officer and lieutenant initially telling the migrants to move along around 8:30 p.m. Saturday on West 42nd Street in Manhattan — before things quickly get rowdy as a scuffle breaks out between the cops and a suspect who is wrestled to the ground.

And....those arrested were all released on signature bonds! Blue shithole cities in blue shithole states implementing blue shithole policies that endanger everyone.

And Chicago was housing hundreds of these in police stations.

3-1-1 Construction

Proving once again, cops are an afterthought:

• Recently officers assigned/detailed to ARS were notified that minor construction will be performed at 2111 W Lexington, which includes the installation of a new rooftop a/c unit. The installation of the new a/c unit involves the use of a crane to lift the unit and supplies onto the roof. Due to safety concerns with the installation, employees assigned to the civilian side of 311 (except for a few supervisors) and the Department of Health next door have been assigned to work remotely. 
  
  
  Guess where the ARS officers are… working their assigned stations. To their credit, the bosses of ARS do care about the safety of officers and have made their concerns well known, but it is the higher-ups that apparently do not care and are requiring everyone to come in on their assigned times. While I do not believe anything will happen, it is the lack of safety measures taken by the police side that are deeply concerning.
  
  
  This is also a clear indication that 35th doesn’t care, or does not know what’s going on. Otherwise, the entire building would be shut down during the installation of the a/c unit, or at minimum, during the time when the crane is being used to lift equipment and supplies.
  

Imagine if the crane failed and a mutli-ton AC unit went though the roof of building....even partially.

Good to know our bosses have our best interests in mind.

Safety Alert

Anyone see these guys around?

These two are dressed as Hamas terrorists, wandering around downtown Chicago the other day.

Cos-playing for a confrontation? Provocateurs trying to see what a reaction might be from the police?

We have no idea, but with almost 20 million un-screened illegals roaming the interior of what used to be the United States, anything is possible.

More Cops Mugged

No one is safe:

• Two off-duty Chicago police officers have been robbed at gunpoint since Saturday evening, the latest in a string of CPD officers who’ve been mugged during the city’s surging robbery problem.

  In the first incident, a 41-year-old officer was in the 2800 block of South Wentworth when the robber walked up to her with a handgun around 8:37 p.m. Saturday. He demanded her property and fled with her iPhone and wallet, which contained her police ID.

  A CPD spokesperson confirmed that a woman was robbed during the incident but, consistent with policy, did not identify her as a police officer.

  The robber fled on foot. Officers at the scene described him as Black, about 5’7″ tall, and wearing a black face mask. He also wore a black jogging suit with white stripes on the side of the arms and legs.

  Then, around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, another off-duty CPD officer was robbed at gunpoint in the 10100 block of South Wood. The 45-year-old officer told investigators that two armed men got out of a car, took his valuables, and fled.

Maybe the only people out on the street lately are cops? And that's making them more likely to be victimized? 

We've got nothing except stay alert, maybe carry a fake wallet with a few bucks in it and keep a separate one for your department documentation, star and important stuff?

Disease Vector

As predicted here and elsewhere, a mysterious illness is felling illegals....the same illegals who were residing in Police Stations up until two or three days ago:

• A 5-year-old migrant boy staying at a Pilsen shelter died Sunday evening after a medical emergency, authorities said, capping what has been a tumultuous 16 months for over 26,000 migrants who have arrived in the city since August of 2022 on buses sent from Texas border cities.

Good thing it's an isolated incident!

• Even after the child’s death, Chicago Fire Department transported to hospitals from the shelter five people with fevers Monday in separate incidents. The ill people included children ages 1, 4, 8 and 9, CFD spokesperson Larry Langford said.

We don't trust the Chicago Department of Health any farther than we could throw it. In the meantime, keep an eye on your own health and that of your families. Who knows what fucked up diseases these illegals brought from third world backwaters.

ARS Safety Issue

More crime by the Callback Unit:

• I am writing this email to notify the members of our unit that yesterday we had two 3rd watch officers the victims of crimes yesterday. One incident was an attempt robbery, where a weapon was implied and the other was an aggravated assault near Jackson and Halsted in which an offender pointed a firearm at our officer. The attempt robbery occurred just outside of our lot on Polk Street. Luckily our officers were not injured. Please be careful when leaving on your breaks and lunches. This is the 3rd incident we have had in recent months. Let a co-worker know where you are going and try to go with someone if possible. Always be aware of your surroundings. I have reached out to the 12th District in the past and will again about a Special Attention in our are and our facility. Look after one another and please have a safe and happy holiday season.

It's important to be aware over that direction because a lot of the Officers there are stripped of police powers, and that includes carrying. We reported on the carjacking attempt a few months ago, so things don't appear to have gotten better.

Fleeing Offender....Street Pizza

The urge to chase is, many times, overwhelming. 

We know. We used to do it. Quite a bit. We got some awards to prove it, not to mention a couple appearances in Federal Court to defend it. We have a few long term injury issues that we'll be regretting long into retirement without a doubt.

We never got suspended, though we had to appeal one incident all the way up to a Deputy Chief at HQ, so we'll count that as a win.

We mention this only as a warning to others. We made our decisions; you'll make yours; you're all older than twenty-one. Almost no way to foresee this:

• The driver of a stolen vehicle was fatally struck by a semitruck during a brief police foot chase in the Austin neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, according to Chicago police.

  Around 2:30 p.m., officers assigned to the CPD’s Vehicular Hijacking Task Force spotted a stolen vehicle parked at an auto cleaning service in the 800 block of South Cicero Avenue. Officers approached the 24-year-old driver as he got out of the vehicle, but he ran into the street and was struck and killed by a passing vehicle, according to a statement from CPD.

  The striking vehicle — a semitruck, according to police sources — did not stop and left the scene.

The stolen vehicle was parked - perfect time to apprehend the offender. Almost no danger to the publi

Subject ran, now there are foot chase restrictions. Nowhere in the article does it say police pursued, which is good.

Subject got squashed by a truck. Oops. Again, no one is reported to have been chasing him.

Truck left the scene and didn't stop. ::insert ironic laughter here::

If you think this one isn't headed for a lawyer at this very moment, without any officers being mentioned as chasing a fleeing subject, well....we appreciate your naivety and hope you maintain it forever. It's charming in a way.