AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/relations/)
There have been fewer homicides so far this year, a drop Ald. Chris Taliaferro attributes to “hard” police work and community involvement. Some also credit the drop in killings to the community-building work groups like BUILD and the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago.
A day before the third anniversary of teenager Laquan McDonald being shot to death by a Chicago cop, members of the Central Austin Neighborhood Association and activists from Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) demanded changes of the city’s top law-enforcement officials.
Superintendent Eddie Johnson will attend the event at Hope Community Church, 5900 W. Iowa St., from 6 to 8 p.m. May 4th.
The Westside Writing Project and City Bureau are hosting workshops every Saturday for the next month starting April 23rd at Sankofa Cultural Center, 5820 W. Chicago.
The community continues to work on how to build trust and improve relations between Austin residents and the Chicago Police Department.
Teens talked at Saturday’s meeting about their fear of officers, while 15th District Commander Dwayne Betts vowed to break down the walls between the department and local residents.
Youth ages 13 to 24 are invited to participate in the Feb. 27 event that’s designed to ease tensions between the community and officers.
Some question Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy’s commitment to openness and transparency after the July 15 gathering at Mars Hill Baptist Church.
In the wake of the Ferguson decision, Greater St. John Church hosted a community meeting earlier this month.