The Chicago Police Department announced more than seven people were killed and 14 were injured in Chicago on April 7, marking it as the most violent day of 2020. Four of the victims were below the age of 18. Tuesday reaffirmed the idea that the 'City of Big Shoulders' is not only struggling with an actual pandemic, but a crime pandemic as well.
For a short period of time, Chicago enjoyed a crime drop as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet blood flows freely once against on the streets. When it takes a deadly virus to stop the violence, the city and state government should turn to the mirror for serious self-introspection. The strategies and tactics utilized by the Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police have failed miserably to prevent ever-growing crime rates. Just as the Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking to develop new strategies to stem the tide of COVID-19, so to should law enforcement in combating the gang warfare epidemic.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Army, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.
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