Quinn: Offer To Bring In State Police To Assist In Violent Neighborhoods Stands

By Chuck Sudo in News on Sep 25, 2013 9:45PM

Photo via Gov. Pat Quinn's Flickr pool.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn earlier repeated his offer to bring in the Illinois State Police to assist Chicago Police in high-crime neighborhoods but only if Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Supt. Garry McCarthy approve. Quinn first broached the subject last week after the shooting in Cornell Square Park in Back of the Yards that injured 13.

“If they want to speak to me about that,” Quinn said, “I’m certainly always willing and able to sit down.”

McCarthy said “thanks but no thanks” to Quinn’s offer and, for good measure, added they didn’t need the Illinois National Guard’s assistance, either. (Quinn reportedly floated that idea over the weekend, as well.)

"The National Guard is not a policing force, they are a military force," McCarthy said after a police graduation. "By the way, might I remind you of where we are in comparison to where we were last year and in 2011 and compared to the 90s. Let's stop the hysteria."

Quinn has a supporter for his state trooper offer in Ald. Willie Cochran (20th). Cochran said while violent crime numbers are down this year as a result of McCarthy’s saturation strategy of violent “hot spots,” he felt “more needs to be done” and that it’s time to “exhaust all options” in the fight against violent crime.

“Gov. Quinn’s proposal to supplement Chicago’s existing law enforcement efforts with Illinois State Police power has merit. The city has partnered with the Illinois State Police on countless joint task forces in the past. This would be nothing unusual,” Cochran said in a statement issued by his office.

“What it would be is an opportunity to get more officers on the criminal element. I’ve long called for increased patrols throughout the city as an essential part of an effective violence prevention strategy, but recognize law enforcement is but one component….I applaud Gov. Quinn for taking the initiative to offer Illinois State Police help to address safety in our city. Like the governor, I know we need to do more to prevent violence.”