City Sending More Undercover Cops to Taste

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 22, 2011 1:30PM

As part of the City's preparation for responding to possible mob violence at Taste of Chicago, the Police Department will be deploying more undercover officers in and around the festival to target troublemakers before they get a chance to act.

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy didn't divulge the number of plainclothes officers that would be deployed to Taste - “that would be imprudent for us to do that,” he said - and at specific "choke points" such as train stations. The city will be ramping up its video surveillance to monitor trouble spots and respond rapidly to trouble and a police helicopter will be a persistent presence over the festival.

Sources told the Sun-Times that 40 probationary officers will be reassigned from their Michigan Avenue beat to Taste. One policeman, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Sun-Times.

“They’re out to give people the illusion that there are a lot of police officers on Michigan Avenue,” said an 18th District police officer, who asked to remain anonymous. “They don’t even have enough radios for these guys.”

The Chicago Park District is also hiring a private security firm to augment the police presence.