December 16, 2022

I want to close with a heartfelt thank you to our friends at the Chicago Police Department’s 18th District for such fluid communication and immediate response this past week (and always). As well as the 19th District, we have extremely hardworking men and women serving us in the 43rd Ward. Listed below in this email are upcoming Beat Meetings where you can personally get to know your local officers.

Whether it is with a tree, a menorah, a chunky knit sweater or movies with amazingly predictable storylines, however you celebrate the holidays, I hope you find moments full of joy,

Thank you to 43rd Ward Superintendent Marty Casey, 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, 43rd Ward office star Maggie and others for help spreading JOY this week!

The 43rd Ward office will have amended hours this holiday season. Please see below for the schedule:

December 23: 10am-2pm

December 26: Closed

December 27-30: 10am-2pm

January 2nd: Closed

The office will reopen with normal 9am-5pm hours on Tuesday January 3rd. Happy Holidays!

Although not in the 43rd Ward, notice of this crime is important to our neighborhood and our adjacent neighbors.

About the Crime:

Two to four offenders approached victims on foot, displayed a handgun and demanded the victims property. The offender fled in vehicle.

Incident Times and location:

• 1300 block of W Webster, December 14th at 11:20am

What you can do:

• Be aware of these crimes and alert other family and friends who live in the area.

• Remain aware of your surroundings and free from distractions.

• Pay special attention to suspicious individuals in the area and alert the Police.

• Call 911 immediately if you are a victim or witness to a crime and provide a detailed description of the offender(s) including any vehicle description and license plate information.

While no one can guarantee any of our safety in all cases, we can all make it more difficult for a would-be thief or attacker to victimize us.

At Home: Lock It Up

Keep your doors locked when home alone and lock your windows too when leaving the house or any long period of time. Open doors and windows are an invitation that you don’t want to send. Turn your porch lights on at night and illuminate your backyard to ensure that anyone lurking there will be easily seen.

In Your Car: Secure Your Ride.

Lock your doors and be sure to store your purse, wallet or other valuables beneath your seat -- not on the seat next to you where they are easy and inviting targets for theft. Park in a well-lit area for the safety of your car and yourself and always lock your car. If you notice that the street lights are out, call 311 or your Police District’s Community Policing Office to make sure this “condition for crime” is remedied.

On the Street: Be Alert

Make sure you are not an easy target for crime on the street. Carry your purse in a manner that makes it hard to get -- across your chest or under your arm where more than a simple grab is needed to snatch it. Men should carry their wallets in their inside coats or side pants pocket, never in your back pants pocket where it is easy to grab. If you walk to and from work or public transit stations, particularly at night, use well-lit and populated streets. When possible, walk with friends.

On Public Transit: Be Prepared

Have the exact fare ready before you leave home so that there is no need to open a purse or wallet. During late night or early morning stay near the agent on duty in subways and when possible sit on the aisle seat where you will have more mobility should trouble to occur.

Going Home: Be Ready.

Always carry your keys in your hands so that you are ready to open the door. If you know you will be coming home after dark, make sure to leave some lights on.

Finally, Wherever You Are:

Remember -- A crime-free city requires that everyone reports suspicious activity by calling 911 and report conditions that make crime possible by calling 311. 

If you call 911 and do not get an immediate response, do not hang up and call again. This will only further delay your call in the queue.

• Calls to the Police Department are answered on a priority basis. Situations that involve threats to life, bodily injury, or major property damage or loss are the highest priorities.
• It is important to provide as much information on your situation as possible. Operators ask questions regarding the persons or autos involved, all while police are being dispatched. The more information you provide, the easier and faster it is for dispatchers to get services to you.
• When calling 911, if you wish to remain anonymous, please indicate that at the beginning of your call.
• You should use 311, the City’s non-emergency line in situations that do not involve a crime in progress or an immediate threat to life, bodily injury, or major property damage or loss.

If you live in or operate a business in Chicago you can now apply to receive reimbursement for your security cameras and other security devices. Since the offer is "first-come, first serve," we encourage people who want to buy cameras to do so now.

The rebate includes: 

• Up to $225 per camera for a maximum of 2 cameras
• Up to $150 per one year of subscription costs for cloud-based video storage systems 
• Up to $100 per light for a maximum of 2 lights
• Up to $50 per vehicle GPS tracking device for a maximum of 2 devices
• Up to $120 per one year of subscription costs for GPS tracking applications 

To get reimbursed, you must provide:

• Proof of address
• Proof of purchase
• Photo of installed device

Learn more here.

The City of Chicago has launched a free and voluntary camera registration program open to anyone who lives or operates a business in Chicago. If you have a private security camera that captures the public way and you are interested in assisting in an investigation in the event of a crime in your neighborhood, you can register your camera with the Chicago Police Department. By registering your camera, you are simply allowing the Chicago Police Department to Contact you in the event of a crime in your area. The Chicago Police Department will not have direct access to your camera system and cannot access camera footage without your consent. There is no requirement to provide footage at any time.

More information here.

Below is a list of Mental Health resources that are available locally here in the City of Chicago.

• City of Chicago Mental Health Centers 

• NAMI Helpline

• Illinois Department of Human Services

• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call 988

Lincoln Park High School's boys basketball team is raising funds for their 2022-2023 season. Raising funds for extracurricular activities is crucial to the success of the program and those who benefit from it!

Donate here.

Join Wrightwood Neighbors for their Holiday Train this Sunday, December 18th from 4pm-6pm at New Life Church (1100 W Lill Ave). This is a free event, but a $10 donation is suggested.

Lincoln Common invites you to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah! Join Rabbi Mendy Benhiyoun of Chabad Lincoln Park as we light the first candle on the menorah.

Our office is partnering with Commissioner Bridget Degnen to bring a tax appeal workshop to constituents.

Sign up here for a time slot to come to our office (2523 N Halsted) to meet with a staffer from Commissioner Degnen's office. They will assist you by answering questions, and help file your property tax appeal.

Please note that appeals for Jefferson and Lakeview Township closed on November 29th.

I want to keep spreading the good word of how powerful a tool CHI 311 is to address non-emergency services in our Ward. Via the CHI 311 website and mobile app, you can:

• Create new service requests and check the status of existing requests (such as on timing and completion).
• Snap a photo of an issue to submit it with a request to improve location accuracy.
• Get local and relevant information/tips regarding the 43rd Ward including visibility into what other requests are being made in your neighborhood. The free CHI 311 mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices and may be downloaded in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Have questions about street work happening in your area? The Department of Transportation has a wonderful tool to look up street work in your area called the Chi Street Work Portal. Here you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street.