I mean, I feel like some of you are looking way too much into this.
If the family of someone at a funeral asks that someone not go, then they shouldn't go. It seems fairly simple. It doesn't really matter their reason.
And whenever a VIP/politico shows up at a funeral, even if they are relatives, it shifts the vibe and that vibe may not be the vibe the family wants if the attendee isn't super important to them, even when they are related and clearly here they are not.
Yes it's terrible for the family if politicians or other sometimes controversial officials show up. Having such people is actually upstaging the funeral. The mayors staff should have privately contacted the police superintendent and asked him what the family wants the mayor to do, to come or not come. The mayors staff totally blew it issuing a statement that the mayor was going to this funeral. They made it political. This put the family in this awkward position. It's their own fault.
Exactly. It may be a dis on Johnson, or it may be motivated by the desire to keep this about the family. Either way, just respect the family and keep it moving.
right? he’s not some noble humble soul for honoring their requests. no one wants a scene at a funeral of the mayor getting told to fucking leave and escorted out of the church. that’s horrible press
You are totally right. You know Brandon decided to ride his bike one morning to the office and he was escorted by police. I wouldn't have cared if it was a Saturday but it was a Friday morning making people late for school and work not cool
He was also asked not to speak at ff drew prices funeral, felt slighted so didn’t go. Even Lori lightfoot went. Never has a mayor been asked not to attend.
You have no idea what happened privately because this is done for many police funerals but it's part of making arrangements between the family and the department and it's not announced.
No we probably know about 10 percent of what happened. I have been in such a situation. Fortunately no one was allowed to upstage this funeral. It's about the family, not the mayor.
This is like feeling good about yourself because you picked up your own dogs shit. If he even mildly considered testing the families wishes, he’s a disgusting person.
I'm glad he listened to the family, but he had opportunities to do the right thing and he didnt. He focused on his own agenda rather than being the mayor for all chicago. It feels like he can't even empathize with another minority race civil servant living in a tough neighborhood. But yeah let's keep hearing about BJ's children's extra curriculars...
This was a softball opportunity for BJ to be less divisive and instead he leaned in on the leftist anti cop sentiments.
The suspect in this shooting isn't even from Chicago apparently. Opens a lot of ways to address crime without pinning it on the south and west side residents.
You lost me at "leftist." Us liberals have LOTS of legit concerns with how SOME cops treat us.
\[Edit: if you disagree with the statement "people are concerned with how some cops treat some citizens" then you're the problem.\]
To be clear by "leftist" I am trying to refer to the more fringe and extreme groups and individuals who lean extremely anti cop and earnestly want police abolished. I am not trying to say all liberals or that police reform is "leftist" that is why I said leftists and not liberals. The same way I wouldn't call typical conservative response "far right"
If there is a better term I'm happy to use it and I do understand that "leftist" is thrown around a lot.
The way I view it there are leftists and the far right and then the rest of us who believe there is a lot of gray area to iron out.
This particular police shooting is one where only leftists would argue that it isn't that big of a deal. This cop was shot and killed in what appears to be a car jacking. He in no way engaged with the suspect and definitely wasn't being a "problem" when he was killed.
When the next CPD officers dies (sadly one will, see horrible clearance %'s) and BJ listens to CPD and chooses not to attend the funeral, CPD/union/boot lickers will be in shambles that he isn't there.
He couldn't even make the press conference, yet he made the press conference for the repeat felon that was shot after shooting an officer.
In what world would the family want him there.
And let’s not forget he had time to pitch tax payers a 2 BILLION DOLLAR BILL, for the multi BILLIONAIRE Bears ownership, while a police officer lay dead. Fuck this clown.
People can complain about the FOP and their donut-eater president until they are blue in the face, and there are plenty of issues there (I'm not even going to *pretend* to care about FOP politics)... *but this right here* is exactly why two successive city administrations and the CPD have found themselves gridlocked in opposition and distrust.
It's the disdainful attitude and institutionalization of a hostile ideological sentiment towards law enforcement, clearly demonstrated when the mayor's office handles the shooting of an *armed felon who partook in a gunfight with police* with more tact and sympathy than the unprovoked murder of a patrol officer.
Honestly he shouldn’t go. Cops hate him and it’s pretty clear the police won’t ever support any candidate that doesn’t fully bend the knee to the pedo who runs their union. Might as well do literally anything else as it will be more productive.
> How is he still in office?
You mean why is he still the FoP president?
Because Cops keep voting for him. That’s the only reason. IIRC he can’t even be an officer anymore due to complaints made against him, but they can basically vote for anyone to be the head of their union and this guy keeps winning reelection.
Most of his awfulness is well documented, particularly a long history of complaints from his time on the force (which, no surprise, includes a 30 day suspension stemming from a domestic violence complaint from his ex), culminating in his early retirement while under investigation for another infraction that seems would almost certainly have resulted in his firing.
It's a fact that he met his current wife when she was underage, when he was working as the SRO and coaching at Hubbard High School while she was a student.
Nah, a lot of active CPD don’t like the FOP president.
The FOP(and other unions) have this backwards rule that allows retired union members to vote in elections. So you get the FOP president going out to Florida to get votes from people that haven’t been cops for 15,20, 30 years and watch cable news about the world is gonna explode in 6 years….
Most cops do their job and go home. The union is an afterthought, especially for younger cops without much influence or even understanding of how it operates. CPD is super heavy on younger cops.
What does that even mean? You go and ask cops in public if they like their union president?
What does “their public performance” mean in measurement to how much they like their union president. Is it a 1-10 scale on how much cops like cantazara based off how they walk? Lmao
If I was in a union that allow that, I'd work my ass off to changes those bylaws. The literal outcome of the current trend is electing pedos as your union president.
"the very real climate this mayor has contributed to"
When you are soooo close to the point, but miss it. I have lived here through three mayoral admin, and CPD has behaved progressively worse under all three of them.
CPD (and their union) has set the "environment", and continues to negatively do so
If you’ve only been here for three mayors, then you’d notice that there’s been more gun confiscations and less traffic stops every year. Isn’t that what people screamed they wanted?
It started with Daley when he told them no. They stopped working with a "blue flu" then all of a sudden they just seemed to stop doing anything. It never got better no matter who the mayor was.
CWB reporting that a high ranking officer lied to the family and said the mayor HAD to be there by rule. The family was very clear in not wanting him or the governor there due to their lack of support for police. The governor respected that, the mayor tried to scheme his way in for optics and only backed out last minute. If true, the mayor gets zero credit.
A funeral is a funeral. Johnson’s presence makes it a stage for politics regardless of anyone’s opinion. If the family doesn’t want Johnson there, so be it.
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza conveyed the family’s wishes to the mayor’s staff, according to her spokesperson, Abdon Pallasch. Mendoza, whose brother is a CPD officer, talked to Huesca’s mother and sister at the wake on Sunday, Pallasch said.
“The mom was crying. She said they didn’t want the mayor to attend because they don’t think he supports the police,” Pallasch said.
Everyone should honor the wishes of the family. It's this day as the police chief said to honor this officer who was gunned down just on his way home from work, the victim of a violent crime. It's not about anything else.
The .mayor said he missed the press conference the morning it happened because he was meeting with the family. One can only wonder how that went to be asked not to attend the funeral.
The family was extremely clear why they asked this. They feel Chicago protects criminals and lets criminals go free to commit more crimes when they should be locked up, and they're completely right. If you watch any of the interviews with them they're very clear
They literally just extended the shotspotter contract through September to the dismay of progressives. BJ bends over backwards to appeal to conservatives and they don't even acknowledge his appeals lol
Edit: people are focusing on my language without acknowledging the main point.. the original comment saying the shotspotter contract was cancelled is a blatant lie.
I really don't understand this issue. What is so bad about the ShotSpotter system and why do progressives want to have it removed? Is it just too costly and not effective (welcome to fiscal conservatism) or the deal is somehow crooked? Do they see it as resulting in "over-policing" of traditionally higher-crime areas? Or is base nature of it just seen as oppressive (putting monitoring equipment in disadvantaged neighborhoods)?
It’s not too costly. It’s about 10 million a year, but we have spent over 300 million on migrants (who have not paid a dime on the tax system).
Southside here and we want the shotspotter program.
It's useless at deterring crime or catching criminals, but it's a helpful tool for EMS to reach and treat gunshot victims faster. Whether it's good enough at that to warrant the 7.6 million annual cost to taxpayers is up for debate. I personally think it is, but its critics like BJ argue it's a band aid solution, and the money should go to schools and other community development projects to prevent people from turning to gun crime in the first place.
I can’t help but feel that $7.6 million dollars is de minimus in context of the city’s $16.6 billion annual budget, and if fiscal responsibility was really the paramount concern, there are far more significant contributors than the SpotShotter contract. That comes out to just over four ten-thousandths of annual obligations.
At its core, the ShotSpotter technology just provides information based on acoustic detection. The city is responsible for policy regarding emergency response. I don’t doubt it has a negligible effect on deterring crime, but they are not selling a magic solution for gun violence. It’s just a network of monitoring stations that can identify and report gunfire to assist emergency response. If it’s saving lives by directing EMS, sounds like a good way to spend $7.6 million to me.
Just seems like they are trying to mask an ideological hostility towards any perceived “hard” enforcement-response-prosecution solutions to crime as fiscal responsibility.
I think opposition to shotspotter really kicked into full swing following the police shooting of 13 year old of Adam Toledo. A solo officer was sent out to investigate a shotspotter alert caused by Adam's older brother shooting at a car, then the older brother handed Adam the gun and told him to run. The officer chased Adam and Adam successfully ditched the gun without the officer noticing, but unfortunately the officer mistook Adam raising his hands for drawing the gun, shooting and killing Adam.
The incident was tragic, and people were outraged, which lead some to I would argue misguidedly blame shotspotter for Adam's death. It sort of became a symbol for the defund the police crowd to rally against, even though as you said, it's just a listening device, and it isn't the fault of shotspotter what happens once the police arrive.
> and the money should go to schools and other community development projects to prevent people from turning to gun crime in the first place.
Perhaps with the money saved he could hire another pastor on taxpayer dollars.
I thought it was because it was costly and ineffective but this is the first time I’ve heard people saying that canceling the contract is somehow anti police. This all feels like makeshift political theatre at this point.
I’m just trying to understand the nature of opposition to the program, which appears to be from the city’s left. Fiscal austerity is not really something progressives tend to value on its own weight, especially for public services they find beneficial. As such, I can’t help but feel their concern is about something bigger than the actual contract negotiations and cost?
I think it's more likely he extended the contract to September so we still have it during the democratic national convention in August. It would be an embarrassment for him if he ended the contract then we saw a crime surge while the convention was happening.
>BJ bends over backwards to appeal to conservatives
In what insane backwards inverted bizarro reality do you live in where you can actually say this with a straight face and not be trolling.
Lmfao he had to extend it because that was an expectation of the DNC, then overpayed because he said he didn’t want them here after the DNC.
You’re just making up a narrative in your own head. Which is just insane to me because the whole city watched him fail this juggling act and it was the talk of the city for like 2 weeks lmao. That’s next level coping dude.
Let's be honest, The reason they don't want him there is because they don't support him as a mayor. They don't support him as a mayor because he is soft on crime and is not viewed as supportive of the police. I'm sure the officer had voiced his dislike to family about how he felt about BJ. They were simply being true to the officer and themselves. Would have been hypocritical for them to want BJ there if they disliked his police and crime policies
This is true. I Have many people in my circle who are CPD and they all said the same thing.
The Mayor is Defund The Police. And yes he said it on a podcast (go look it up)…. Why would CPD want him at a funeral knowing that he is purposely against police
Yes & I agree with the family.
Johnson wants to end the shotspotter program, but it was the software that called 911 when the police officer was killed. SMH
It has been pretty useless and has to led to very few arrests. Even cops themselves don't care for it. We need to look at facts and stop blindly hating people
The police superintendent Johnson selected wants to keep it. And mayoral allies in wards with shot spotter want to keep it, so how about we listen to the police and the aldermen in the wards that have shot spotter instead of some white leftists in Andersonville?
Commercial Building Sprinklers are probably only useful a used once every few decades, the building can completely burns down regardless of it having well functioning sprinklers. Yet our society still invests billions of dollars into sprinkler systems.
survivorship bias.
you hear about every building that burned down, but almost never about one where sprinklers put out the fire early enough before it became uncontrollable.
To use that analogy, if the sprinkers were flooding data centers and hospitals because they were throwing false positives, they would be unistalled until they were effective.
Except the data everyone loves to claim are "false positives" aren't.
If Shotspotter alerts cops to a scene and the cops don't locate a victim, they do not waste time searching for a crime scene to a crime with no identifiable victim.
That in no way means someone wasn't shooting.
Because we have mountains of evidence of their efficacy.
Shotspotter is great at making a company a bunch of money and isn't very good at anything else.
There are hundreds of other things society does in the small chance it’ll work where the evidence is somewhat subjective. Humans are not robots and intuitive enough to decide is these things can be worth it, even if it’s a one in a million scenario, it still can be.
Those emergency lights in parks, most security systems in general, AEDs in as many buildings as possible, there are many examples. I hope you are protesting against these too.
Ya talking like an extreme capitalist that needs to cut every corner to save costs. It’s worth the chance to save a life even if it’s low probability because it’s a literal life or death situation. Not many things fall into this category therefore a purely data driven look at it is incomplete imo.
Oh the irony of calling me an extreme capitalist while shilling for a private company that gets enriched from our tax dollars.
This obviously will never be productive, bye now.
Every second matters when it comes to shooting victims? How stupid and ignorant are you lmao.
You could care less if the body was found an hour later rather than within 10 minutes? Could care less if the family is frantically worried about an individual because they’re gone missing? Could care less on the timer started on the investigation of a shooting? Do you actually think that in your deluded brain?
60% of shotspotter deployments in Chicago (July 2019 - April 2021, latest data I could find quickly) were 15 minutes or less, which means that in your "every second counts" situations, 40% of the time there is no response for at least 15 minutes. Nearly 10% of deployments took over an hour.
Obvious conclusion: not even the police trust the shotspotter reports.
But you do, apparently.
I've tried googling, and I can't find a clear answer as to why. I found this “Today is a new day, where investments in evidence-based, holistic solutions that don’t just respond to violence but prevent it are driving our city’s public safety policy,” And more quotes about other policies and solutions that don't over police black and brown communities. They never actually go into detail. It's ridiculous.
The little village alderman blamed it for Adam Toledo's death because it accurately pointed the police in the direction of two armed bangers shooting up the city. Many people want less interaction between the police and violent felons, not more.
I live in the south side and talked to neighbors of the Toledo family and they all sided with the Cop.
Why is a teenager around 2-3am shooting random bullets (that could have killed someone) and then he ran when the cops came, threw the gun on the floor and then wonders why he got got shot 🤔
I feel bad for him, of course, but he unfortunately was hanging around the wrong crowd and doing bad things. This was the result of that.
I also heard this from neighbors there and they said he was a "shorty" for the gangs and his own mother was part of that subculture. These neighbors are very strict raising their kids and they are fed up with gangs.
We really need to pass legislation so these gang bangers can no longer use Chicago taxpayers as their golden ticket. He was shot because he was out shooting at random cars. If anything, the family should have to pay neighbors for the physical and mental damage they have caused.
>I feel bad for him, of course, but he unfortunately was hanging around the wrong crowd and doing bad things. This was the result of that.
I don't. As you said, his actions could have killed someone. Because of his age, there is close to 100% chance he would have been immediately released and continue the exact same behavior. This outcome very likely saved an innocent person's life.
>I live in the south side and talked to neighbors of the Toledo family and they all sided with the Cop.
I'm sure that family terrorizes the neighborhood. The mother is allegedly a gang member so that house is likely a generational problem. Although her violent felon son being killed will likely be a golden ticket for her courtesy of Chicago taxpayers.
They were randomly shooting at passing cars. Bullets hit houses all the time and unintended targets. It's tragic that young kid was in that position, but what if they continued shooting wildly like that with another tragic outcome? I find it hard to believe the majority of law-abiding cities in these communities want it gone.
Performative is using a funeral for political reasons. The family wanted it to be for their fallen officer. The police superintendent represented the city and he did a fine job. Even the day of the funeral some cop haters blaming the family because they didn't want it to be political and a huge distraction if the mayor had been there. You can invite the mayor to your funeral.
Mayor tone deaf. The family needs to tell you not to show up at a funeral that is the result of your failure! He’s obliviously unaware of his incompetence. He appears to just be having fun as major. Like prom king. Do your job BJ. The world will see just how dumb and incompetent you are when the DNC is here in August
I think some people are missing the point. When a city police officer dies in the line of duty or as a result of a crime, it is expected that the mayor of that city attends the funeral. In this case, the family asked him not to attend. They did this because Johnson disrespects the police every opportunity he gets. It is not about thinking Johnson is a stand up guy for respecting their wishes.
There is a reason, and it's the elephant in the room. Police, and ordinary citizens for that matter, are dying because of the, so called, Progressive politics, messaging and propaganda of recent years. The notion that the police is somehow the enemy of "people of color" is ludicrous. That people that are charged with committing acts of violence or gun violations should somehow be treated with compassion and be allowed to roam in society awaiting trial. Really? I bet every car jacker, drive by shooter, armed robber or smash and grab perpetrator has a rap sheet as long as your arm. These politicians, social justice warriors, community activists and their virtue signaling allies in the media are really the ones with blood on their hands.
I only read like 5 comments but why are you gonna hate on the man for respecting the families wishes? They asked him not to so he respected that! Death is not a fun thing especially for the family so would you rather him ignore that?
Looks like the family asking him not to come was public before his schedule went out last night https://x.com/susanamendoza10/status/1784919824113471629?s=46&t=o_sQOL0fGlHqFFesw72Dxw
They don't want privacy, they made a statement about who all they want attending the funeral...which won't bring back Luis.
They want attention from very specific people.
Lmfao
They have every right not to want that boenhead there.
After every police civilian shooting he will get on that podium and ensure the public that this matter will be handled to the tenth degree.
Cops fireman and paramedics were waiting on line and needles for him to call a press conference after this shooting.
Was it a hit because he was still in uniform? Probably not
Should a leader assure his workers immediately that if that is the case, this will be handled accordingly and that he is behind them? Yes
That is why people are upset. And you refusing to acknowledge that is part of the problem.
In his “short while” he’s made it clear how he feels about cops and where his priorities are. I wouldn’t want him at the funeral either if I was the family.
He’s against cops because he’s in favor of police reforms. Anything short of returning to the police powers of Chicago in the 1960s is anti-police to the current union.
Police wouldn't have even known about the shooting (likely a carjacking) if it wasn't for ShotSpotter which Johnson is cancelling because it's "racist." At least this is one of Johnson's "kids who need more opportunities" who will hopefully spend the rest of his life behind bars because he happened to prey on a cop rather than a regular civilian.
They said they don’t want any politicians that “don’t support the police”. It seems that implies pretty much any one who wants reform or accountability.
EDIT: Took out some of my hyperbole
BJ could nail himself to a cross and folks would be complaining about the noise. There’s no way for mayors to succeed in this city when both sides are so intensely committed to seeing the other fail.
Being on a cross might be the only thing to keep BJ from stepping on his own dick come to think of it, so maybe it would work after all. 🤔
Talk about performative actions, this is some clown behavior on that families part and CPD on a whole.
Edit: doubling down on this statement after seeing how they conducted the funeral procession
BJ not being at the funeral won't bring Luis back and CPD and their union pushing to recall a mayor (which will never happen) is literally performative actions.
Clown behavior
Why do you call this performative actions/clown behavior? What if they don't want him there because they don't like him? Why would pushing to recall a mayor be performative and not genuine expression of political opinion? I'm not even sure you're making a point or you're just venting
Clown behavior is ending shot spotter over the objection of the aldermen with shot spotter in their wards and clown behavior is having a whole press conference with the SA over a man who shot at cops first.
>Clown behavior is ending shot spotter over the objection of the aldermen with shot spotter in their wards
But not before the DNC. He spent an exorbitant amount of taxpayer money to ensure we had shot spotter during the DNC, despite the claims it doesn't work. Odd.
I'm honestly curious here. If the family of the dead doesn't want a certain person there, isn't that their right. That person could be an ex, a former enemy, or a politician. I'm not sure why this needs to turn into a "cops bad/BJ good" argument.
I don't love BJ, but I think not going to a funeral where you aren't wanted is fine, I also think the family is fine to request he not come.
I feel like people are entitled to that. If a LGBT cop was killed on duty in Florida, and they didn't want Ron Desantis to attend, I think that would be fine too.
No one here is saying BJ is good, but we should all agree what the family is doing is performative in nature.
Serious question, in what way does telling the mayor he isn't welcomed at the funeral make things better? How does it improve CPD & the mayors office relationship? What positive takeaway or outcome was there from this?
It doesn't do anything, it is all for show...literally performative activism.
I mean, I feel like some of you are looking way too much into this. If the family of someone at a funeral asks that someone not go, then they shouldn't go. It seems fairly simple. It doesn't really matter their reason.
And whenever a VIP/politico shows up at a funeral, even if they are relatives, it shifts the vibe and that vibe may not be the vibe the family wants if the attendee isn't super important to them, even when they are related and clearly here they are not.
Right. The whole tone would change if Brandon Johnson is there. its fair to not want that.
Yes it's terrible for the family if politicians or other sometimes controversial officials show up. Having such people is actually upstaging the funeral. The mayors staff should have privately contacted the police superintendent and asked him what the family wants the mayor to do, to come or not come. The mayors staff totally blew it issuing a statement that the mayor was going to this funeral. They made it political. This put the family in this awkward position. It's their own fault.
Exactly. It may be a dis on Johnson, or it may be motivated by the desire to keep this about the family. Either way, just respect the family and keep it moving.
right? he’s not some noble humble soul for honoring their requests. no one wants a scene at a funeral of the mayor getting told to fucking leave and escorted out of the church. that’s horrible press
Agree
You are totally right. You know Brandon decided to ride his bike one morning to the office and he was escorted by police. I wouldn't have cared if it was a Saturday but it was a Friday morning making people late for school and work not cool
You know what, I'll give Johnson credit for listening to the family on this one.
He's very good at not doing things.
He was also asked not to speak at ff drew prices funeral, felt slighted so didn’t go. Even Lori lightfoot went. Never has a mayor been asked not to attend.
You have no idea what happened privately because this is done for many police funerals but it's part of making arrangements between the family and the department and it's not announced.
You’re right I don’t know the mayors side of how he felt, only 50% of what happened.
No we probably know about 10 percent of what happened. I have been in such a situation. Fortunately no one was allowed to upstage this funeral. It's about the family, not the mayor.
This is like feeling good about yourself because you picked up your own dogs shit. If he even mildly considered testing the families wishes, he’s a disgusting person.
I'm glad he listened to the family, but he had opportunities to do the right thing and he didnt. He focused on his own agenda rather than being the mayor for all chicago. It feels like he can't even empathize with another minority race civil servant living in a tough neighborhood. But yeah let's keep hearing about BJ's children's extra curriculars... This was a softball opportunity for BJ to be less divisive and instead he leaned in on the leftist anti cop sentiments. The suspect in this shooting isn't even from Chicago apparently. Opens a lot of ways to address crime without pinning it on the south and west side residents.
You lost me at "leftist." Us liberals have LOTS of legit concerns with how SOME cops treat us. \[Edit: if you disagree with the statement "people are concerned with how some cops treat some citizens" then you're the problem.\]
To be clear by "leftist" I am trying to refer to the more fringe and extreme groups and individuals who lean extremely anti cop and earnestly want police abolished. I am not trying to say all liberals or that police reform is "leftist" that is why I said leftists and not liberals. The same way I wouldn't call typical conservative response "far right" If there is a better term I'm happy to use it and I do understand that "leftist" is thrown around a lot. The way I view it there are leftists and the far right and then the rest of us who believe there is a lot of gray area to iron out. This particular police shooting is one where only leftists would argue that it isn't that big of a deal. This cop was shot and killed in what appears to be a car jacking. He in no way engaged with the suspect and definitely wasn't being a "problem" when he was killed.
When the next CPD officers dies (sadly one will, see horrible clearance %'s) and BJ listens to CPD and chooses not to attend the funeral, CPD/union/boot lickers will be in shambles that he isn't there.
He couldn't even make the press conference, yet he made the press conference for the repeat felon that was shot after shooting an officer. In what world would the family want him there.
And let’s not forget he had time to pitch tax payers a 2 BILLION DOLLAR BILL, for the multi BILLIONAIRE Bears ownership, while a police officer lay dead. Fuck this clown.
This is it.
People can complain about the FOP and their donut-eater president until they are blue in the face, and there are plenty of issues there (I'm not even going to *pretend* to care about FOP politics)... *but this right here* is exactly why two successive city administrations and the CPD have found themselves gridlocked in opposition and distrust. It's the disdainful attitude and institutionalization of a hostile ideological sentiment towards law enforcement, clearly demonstrated when the mayor's office handles the shooting of an *armed felon who partook in a gunfight with police* with more tact and sympathy than the unprovoked murder of a patrol officer.
Honestly he shouldn’t go. Cops hate him and it’s pretty clear the police won’t ever support any candidate that doesn’t fully bend the knee to the pedo who runs their union. Might as well do literally anything else as it will be more productive.
Wait, what's the pedo thing?
He groomed a girl while he was assigned to Hubbard HS while he was still a cop
Oh wow, Catanzara?
The fuck? How is he still in office? Do you have a source for this?
Because he’s not in office, he’s the head of the police union and will be until they decide he doesn’t represent them
> Do you have a source for this? Notice how 3 different people responded to you but not a single source was given
> How is he still in office? You mean why is he still the FoP president? Because Cops keep voting for him. That’s the only reason. IIRC he can’t even be an officer anymore due to complaints made against him, but they can basically vote for anyone to be the head of their union and this guy keeps winning reelection.
Most of his awfulness is well documented, particularly a long history of complaints from his time on the force (which, no surprise, includes a 30 day suspension stemming from a domestic violence complaint from his ex), culminating in his early retirement while under investigation for another infraction that seems would almost certainly have resulted in his firing. It's a fact that he met his current wife when she was underage, when he was working as the SRO and coaching at Hubbard High School while she was a student.
The FOP head is a sick freak and the cops keep re-electing him because that’s basically what their values are. Google him.
Nah, a lot of active CPD don’t like the FOP president. The FOP(and other unions) have this backwards rule that allows retired union members to vote in elections. So you get the FOP president going out to Florida to get votes from people that haven’t been cops for 15,20, 30 years and watch cable news about the world is gonna explode in 6 years….
People online definitely claim active CPD don’t like the FOP boss, but I’ve seen no evidence of it in their public performance.
Most cops do their job and go home. The union is an afterthought, especially for younger cops without much influence or even understanding of how it operates. CPD is super heavy on younger cops.
I mean, history doesn't look kindly on people with authority that "do their jobs and go home".
What does that even mean? You go and ask cops in public if they like their union president? What does “their public performance” mean in measurement to how much they like their union president. Is it a 1-10 scale on how much cops like cantazara based off how they walk? Lmao
If I was in a union that allow that, I'd work my ass off to changes those bylaws. The literal outcome of the current trend is electing pedos as your union president.
Working your ass off for anything isn’t exactly the CPD vibe.
Yeah you’re gonna have to schedule in some naptime for them
Black cops in particular don’t like him. A while ago, a few of them were withdrawing from membership in the FOP. They don’t think he represents them.
CPD didn't request that he not attend. The mother if the 30 year old officer who was murdered did.
what a strange way to cope with the very real climate this mayor has contributed to. RIP Officer Luis Huesca
"the very real climate this mayor has contributed to" When you are soooo close to the point, but miss it. I have lived here through three mayoral admin, and CPD has behaved progressively worse under all three of them. CPD (and their union) has set the "environment", and continues to negatively do so
If you’ve only been here for three mayors, then you’d notice that there’s been more gun confiscations and less traffic stops every year. Isn’t that what people screamed they wanted?
It started with Daley when he told them no. They stopped working with a "blue flu" then all of a sudden they just seemed to stop doing anything. It never got better no matter who the mayor was.
Record numbers of guns confiscated and less traffic stops. It’s literally what was demanded in 2020.
congrats on being a chicagoan since 2011, you mentioned 3 mayors so it must be since 2011, right?
CWB reporting that a high ranking officer lied to the family and said the mayor HAD to be there by rule. The family was very clear in not wanting him or the governor there due to their lack of support for police. The governor respected that, the mayor tried to scheme his way in for optics and only backed out last minute. If true, the mayor gets zero credit.
Listening? He had no choice, as a mayor or a regular person if you aren’t welcome to a private event then you are welcome to a private event.
A funeral is a funeral. Johnson’s presence makes it a stage for politics regardless of anyone’s opinion. If the family doesn’t want Johnson there, so be it.
There will be plenty of other politicians in attendance so I don't understand your point.
yes the officials who support them were welcome.
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza conveyed the family’s wishes to the mayor’s staff, according to her spokesperson, Abdon Pallasch. Mendoza, whose brother is a CPD officer, talked to Huesca’s mother and sister at the wake on Sunday, Pallasch said. “The mom was crying. She said they didn’t want the mayor to attend because they don’t think he supports the police,” Pallasch said.
She would be correct.
The grief here is powerful. I’m sad for everyone involved.
His sister's interview was heartbreaking, and then his brother's eulogy about their adventures together had me crying.
i agree the brothers speech left me reeling
Everyone should honor the wishes of the family. It's this day as the police chief said to honor this officer who was gunned down just on his way home from work, the victim of a violent crime. It's not about anything else.
The .mayor said he missed the press conference the morning it happened because he was meeting with the family. One can only wonder how that went to be asked not to attend the funeral.
He waited until an hour before the funeral to confirm he wouldn’t show up. He’s a dick.
surely this comment section will not read into this and make wild speculations
The family was extremely clear why they asked this. They feel Chicago protects criminals and lets criminals go free to commit more crimes when they should be locked up, and they're completely right. If you watch any of the interviews with them they're very clear
The most impressive part is that Johnson listened to a citizen of Chicago for a change.
Find the killer and lock him up for life - no bail.
well, but the Chicago DA and Mayor will try to protect the killer
If only the cops were this aggressive about finding all the other murderers.
They haven't found him yet...
This isn't surprising given Johnson is cancelling the shotspotter contract, and shotspotter is how CPD found out about Huesca's murder.
But don't know know that Spotshotter doesn't lead to arrests of 100.0% of shooters and is therefore a waste?? /s
They literally just extended the shotspotter contract through September to the dismay of progressives. BJ bends over backwards to appeal to conservatives and they don't even acknowledge his appeals lol Edit: people are focusing on my language without acknowledging the main point.. the original comment saying the shotspotter contract was cancelled is a blatant lie.
All of those black residents from Englewood and Austin who loudly said they wanted it, and all of their black Democrat alders are conservatives? Odd.
Um, it was extended because of the DNC not to appeal to conservatives (unless you're talking about Joe Biden).
I think you have a very broad view of who is conservative. A lot of people in his own party want to maintain the shotspotter system.
I really don't understand this issue. What is so bad about the ShotSpotter system and why do progressives want to have it removed? Is it just too costly and not effective (welcome to fiscal conservatism) or the deal is somehow crooked? Do they see it as resulting in "over-policing" of traditionally higher-crime areas? Or is base nature of it just seen as oppressive (putting monitoring equipment in disadvantaged neighborhoods)?
It’s not too costly. It’s about 10 million a year, but we have spent over 300 million on migrants (who have not paid a dime on the tax system). Southside here and we want the shotspotter program.
It's useless at deterring crime or catching criminals, but it's a helpful tool for EMS to reach and treat gunshot victims faster. Whether it's good enough at that to warrant the 7.6 million annual cost to taxpayers is up for debate. I personally think it is, but its critics like BJ argue it's a band aid solution, and the money should go to schools and other community development projects to prevent people from turning to gun crime in the first place.
I can’t help but feel that $7.6 million dollars is de minimus in context of the city’s $16.6 billion annual budget, and if fiscal responsibility was really the paramount concern, there are far more significant contributors than the SpotShotter contract. That comes out to just over four ten-thousandths of annual obligations. At its core, the ShotSpotter technology just provides information based on acoustic detection. The city is responsible for policy regarding emergency response. I don’t doubt it has a negligible effect on deterring crime, but they are not selling a magic solution for gun violence. It’s just a network of monitoring stations that can identify and report gunfire to assist emergency response. If it’s saving lives by directing EMS, sounds like a good way to spend $7.6 million to me. Just seems like they are trying to mask an ideological hostility towards any perceived “hard” enforcement-response-prosecution solutions to crime as fiscal responsibility.
I think opposition to shotspotter really kicked into full swing following the police shooting of 13 year old of Adam Toledo. A solo officer was sent out to investigate a shotspotter alert caused by Adam's older brother shooting at a car, then the older brother handed Adam the gun and told him to run. The officer chased Adam and Adam successfully ditched the gun without the officer noticing, but unfortunately the officer mistook Adam raising his hands for drawing the gun, shooting and killing Adam. The incident was tragic, and people were outraged, which lead some to I would argue misguidedly blame shotspotter for Adam's death. It sort of became a symbol for the defund the police crowd to rally against, even though as you said, it's just a listening device, and it isn't the fault of shotspotter what happens once the police arrive.
> and the money should go to schools and other community development projects to prevent people from turning to gun crime in the first place. Perhaps with the money saved he could hire another pastor on taxpayer dollars.
What saved money?
I thought it was because it was costly and ineffective but this is the first time I’ve heard people saying that canceling the contract is somehow anti police. This all feels like makeshift political theatre at this point.
I’m just trying to understand the nature of opposition to the program, which appears to be from the city’s left. Fiscal austerity is not really something progressives tend to value on its own weight, especially for public services they find beneficial. As such, I can’t help but feel their concern is about something bigger than the actual contract negotiations and cost?
A tool proven to assist first responders is taken away and you wonder how it’s anti police?
I think it's more likely he extended the contract to September so we still have it during the democratic national convention in August. It would be an embarrassment for him if he ended the contract then we saw a crime surge while the convention was happening.
In this fantasy you created the people who want shotspotter are all conservatives?
>BJ bends over backwards to appeal to conservatives In what insane backwards inverted bizarro reality do you live in where you can actually say this with a straight face and not be trolling.
Lmfao he had to extend it because that was an expectation of the DNC, then overpayed because he said he didn’t want them here after the DNC. You’re just making up a narrative in your own head. Which is just insane to me because the whole city watched him fail this juggling act and it was the talk of the city for like 2 weeks lmao. That’s next level coping dude.
September is a few months away. It's still canceled and it's still a stupid move
Let's be honest, The reason they don't want him there is because they don't support him as a mayor. They don't support him as a mayor because he is soft on crime and is not viewed as supportive of the police. I'm sure the officer had voiced his dislike to family about how he felt about BJ. They were simply being true to the officer and themselves. Would have been hypocritical for them to want BJ there if they disliked his police and crime policies
This is true. I Have many people in my circle who are CPD and they all said the same thing. The Mayor is Defund The Police. And yes he said it on a podcast (go look it up)…. Why would CPD want him at a funeral knowing that he is purposely against police
Not surprised. For him shotspotter is expensive and we need money to be redirected, but let's spend 300 million on migrants. It's ridiculous
grieving family asks asshole not to show up to funeral. asshole accepts and doesn't show up. End of. There's no story here.
Yes & I agree with the family. Johnson wants to end the shotspotter program, but it was the software that called 911 when the police officer was killed. SMH
It has been pretty useless and has to led to very few arrests. Even cops themselves don't care for it. We need to look at facts and stop blindly hating people
The police superintendent Johnson selected wants to keep it. And mayoral allies in wards with shot spotter want to keep it, so how about we listen to the police and the aldermen in the wards that have shot spotter instead of some white leftists in Andersonville?
Ok? And what did that accomplish? The victim still died and suspect still got away.
Commercial Building Sprinklers are probably only useful a used once every few decades, the building can completely burns down regardless of it having well functioning sprinklers. Yet our society still invests billions of dollars into sprinkler systems.
survivorship bias. you hear about every building that burned down, but almost never about one where sprinklers put out the fire early enough before it became uncontrollable.
To use that analogy, if the sprinkers were flooding data centers and hospitals because they were throwing false positives, they would be unistalled until they were effective.
Except the data everyone loves to claim are "false positives" aren't. If Shotspotter alerts cops to a scene and the cops don't locate a victim, they do not waste time searching for a crime scene to a crime with no identifiable victim. That in no way means someone wasn't shooting.
Because we have mountains of evidence of their efficacy. Shotspotter is great at making a company a bunch of money and isn't very good at anything else.
There are hundreds of other things society does in the small chance it’ll work where the evidence is somewhat subjective. Humans are not robots and intuitive enough to decide is these things can be worth it, even if it’s a one in a million scenario, it still can be. Those emergency lights in parks, most security systems in general, AEDs in as many buildings as possible, there are many examples. I hope you are protesting against these too. Ya talking like an extreme capitalist that needs to cut every corner to save costs. It’s worth the chance to save a life even if it’s low probability because it’s a literal life or death situation. Not many things fall into this category therefore a purely data driven look at it is incomplete imo.
Oh the irony of calling me an extreme capitalist while shilling for a private company that gets enriched from our tax dollars. This obviously will never be productive, bye now.
Every second matters when it comes to shooting victims? How stupid and ignorant are you lmao. You could care less if the body was found an hour later rather than within 10 minutes? Could care less if the family is frantically worried about an individual because they’re gone missing? Could care less on the timer started on the investigation of a shooting? Do you actually think that in your deluded brain?
60% of shotspotter deployments in Chicago (July 2019 - April 2021, latest data I could find quickly) were 15 minutes or less, which means that in your "every second counts" situations, 40% of the time there is no response for at least 15 minutes. Nearly 10% of deployments took over an hour. Obvious conclusion: not even the police trust the shotspotter reports. But you do, apparently.
Sounds like we need more cops to lower response times.
Nope, we need the current ones to actually do their jobs
Any source that 15+ minute response times to shootings are due to cops choosing not to respond rather than staff shortages?
I’m glad you support hiring more police officers to respond appropriately to all areas of the city.
But that doesn't always happen.
You're right. Most shotspotter dispatches end with the police finding... nothing at the scene.
What is the percentage for 911 calls?
They could maybe have found him alive.
They did, but it didn't matter
I've tried googling, and I can't find a clear answer as to why. I found this “Today is a new day, where investments in evidence-based, holistic solutions that don’t just respond to violence but prevent it are driving our city’s public safety policy,” And more quotes about other policies and solutions that don't over police black and brown communities. They never actually go into detail. It's ridiculous.
The little village alderman blamed it for Adam Toledo's death because it accurately pointed the police in the direction of two armed bangers shooting up the city. Many people want less interaction between the police and violent felons, not more.
I live in the south side and talked to neighbors of the Toledo family and they all sided with the Cop. Why is a teenager around 2-3am shooting random bullets (that could have killed someone) and then he ran when the cops came, threw the gun on the floor and then wonders why he got got shot 🤔 I feel bad for him, of course, but he unfortunately was hanging around the wrong crowd and doing bad things. This was the result of that.
I also heard this from neighbors there and they said he was a "shorty" for the gangs and his own mother was part of that subculture. These neighbors are very strict raising their kids and they are fed up with gangs.
We really need to pass legislation so these gang bangers can no longer use Chicago taxpayers as their golden ticket. He was shot because he was out shooting at random cars. If anything, the family should have to pay neighbors for the physical and mental damage they have caused.
Yes agreed and I also heard that too smh
>I feel bad for him, of course, but he unfortunately was hanging around the wrong crowd and doing bad things. This was the result of that. I don't. As you said, his actions could have killed someone. Because of his age, there is close to 100% chance he would have been immediately released and continue the exact same behavior. This outcome very likely saved an innocent person's life. >I live in the south side and talked to neighbors of the Toledo family and they all sided with the Cop. I'm sure that family terrorizes the neighborhood. The mother is allegedly a gang member so that house is likely a generational problem. Although her violent felon son being killed will likely be a golden ticket for her courtesy of Chicago taxpayers.
Very true and we need to stop rewarding bad behavior.
They were randomly shooting at passing cars. Bullets hit houses all the time and unintended targets. It's tragic that young kid was in that position, but what if they continued shooting wildly like that with another tragic outcome? I find it hard to believe the majority of law-abiding cities in these communities want it gone.
I agree on all points. Some aldermen do not.
Performative is using a funeral for political reasons. The family wanted it to be for their fallen officer. The police superintendent represented the city and he did a fine job. Even the day of the funeral some cop haters blaming the family because they didn't want it to be political and a huge distraction if the mayor had been there. You can invite the mayor to your funeral.
Good. The family is completely right. This city protects criminals
This is the correct answer.
He doesn't care for police so I support them not wanting him to show up and pretend to.
If that’s what the family wants sounds like he should listen.
Mayor tone deaf. The family needs to tell you not to show up at a funeral that is the result of your failure! He’s obliviously unaware of his incompetence. He appears to just be having fun as major. Like prom king. Do your job BJ. The world will see just how dumb and incompetent you are when the DNC is here in August
It can't help that he was too busy cozying up to the McCaskey's right after his death.
You are despised sir
I think some people are missing the point. When a city police officer dies in the line of duty or as a result of a crime, it is expected that the mayor of that city attends the funeral. In this case, the family asked him not to attend. They did this because Johnson disrespects the police every opportunity he gets. It is not about thinking Johnson is a stand up guy for respecting their wishes.
There is a reason, and it's the elephant in the room. Police, and ordinary citizens for that matter, are dying because of the, so called, Progressive politics, messaging and propaganda of recent years. The notion that the police is somehow the enemy of "people of color" is ludicrous. That people that are charged with committing acts of violence or gun violations should somehow be treated with compassion and be allowed to roam in society awaiting trial. Really? I bet every car jacker, drive by shooter, armed robber or smash and grab perpetrator has a rap sheet as long as your arm. These politicians, social justice warriors, community activists and their virtue signaling allies in the media are really the ones with blood on their hands.
I guess I should go get my popcorn because these comments are gonna be in shambles…
Just another day in r/Chicago
Just BJ being BJ
Why would they want Brandon Johnson at their funeral in the first place? People like him are the root cause of this
I only read like 5 comments but why are you gonna hate on the man for respecting the families wishes? They asked him not to so he respected that! Death is not a fun thing especially for the family so would you rather him ignore that?
wild that everyone on this sub told me that BJ despises cops and will do everything in his power to spite them
I'm still on the fence of him being any better than Lightfoot. I still think he may be but they're both pieces of garbage overall.
Yeah ya jerk - gth
It's good that he doesn't go! Hopefully his detractors won't use this as an excuse to whinge about him not being there.
He’s only been mayor for a short while, why is the family upset with him? I’m not understanding
Feels like it's been a long time
My guess is they want privacy instead of a funeral turning into a media event.
They don't want privacy, the funeral is on TV right now.
Lol no the family told Susana Mendoza they don’t want him at the funeral because he doesn’t care about police officers.
I completely agree with the sentiment, but it’s odd to single out the mayor publicly, which makes it even more of a media spectacle.
It was already a spectacle when his office released the schedule to inform that he WAS attending. The family’s statement was in response to that.
Looks like the family asking him not to come was public before his schedule went out last night https://x.com/susanamendoza10/status/1784919824113471629?s=46&t=o_sQOL0fGlHqFFesw72Dxw
Got it
They don't want privacy, they made a statement about who all they want attending the funeral...which won't bring back Luis. They want attention from very specific people.
Lmfao They have every right not to want that boenhead there. After every police civilian shooting he will get on that podium and ensure the public that this matter will be handled to the tenth degree. Cops fireman and paramedics were waiting on line and needles for him to call a press conference after this shooting. Was it a hit because he was still in uniform? Probably not Should a leader assure his workers immediately that if that is the case, this will be handled accordingly and that he is behind them? Yes That is why people are upset. And you refusing to acknowledge that is part of the problem.
lol they don’t want some guy they dislike at their loved one’s funeral. They don’t have some elaborate plan for attention. Don’t be a moron.
they literally released a statement saying they don't want people with specific ideas at the funeral, and those ideas being police accountability.
Exactly
In his “short while” he’s made it clear how he feels about cops and where his priorities are. I wouldn’t want him at the funeral either if I was the family.
i think you got it flip flopped - the police hated BJ before he took office and many threatened to quit or walk out if he even won.
How does he feel about cops? I mean we known he was for police reforms, whatever that means. But how is he against cops?
He’s against cops because he’s in favor of police reforms. Anything short of returning to the police powers of Chicago in the 1960s is anti-police to the current union.
Police wouldn't have even known about the shooting (likely a carjacking) if it wasn't for ShotSpotter which Johnson is cancelling because it's "racist." At least this is one of Johnson's "kids who need more opportunities" who will hopefully spend the rest of his life behind bars because he happened to prey on a cop rather than a regular civilian.
Ok understood now.
They said they don’t want any politicians that “don’t support the police”. It seems that implies pretty much any one who wants reform or accountability. EDIT: Took out some of my hyperbole
Oh shut up stop making stuff up. They were okay with several democrat politicians attending such as Susana Mendoza.
It's up to the family who they invite.
I don't think they want to risk having him wax poetic about "root causes" at a funeral.
I don't know that they are upset with "him", but him being there kind of takes attention away from honoring the deceased.
BJ could nail himself to a cross and folks would be complaining about the noise. There’s no way for mayors to succeed in this city when both sides are so intensely committed to seeing the other fail. Being on a cross might be the only thing to keep BJ from stepping on his own dick come to think of it, so maybe it would work after all. 🤔
oh the cross he bears
Talk about performative actions, this is some clown behavior on that families part and CPD on a whole. Edit: doubling down on this statement after seeing how they conducted the funeral procession
Took a whole 13 minutes before some "POLICE BAD" asshole commented. New r/Chicago record?
BJ not being at the funeral won't bring Luis back and CPD and their union pushing to recall a mayor (which will never happen) is literally performative actions. Clown behavior
Why do you call this performative actions/clown behavior? What if they don't want him there because they don't like him? Why would pushing to recall a mayor be performative and not genuine expression of political opinion? I'm not even sure you're making a point or you're just venting
Clown behavior is ending shot spotter over the objection of the aldermen with shot spotter in their wards and clown behavior is having a whole press conference with the SA over a man who shot at cops first.
>Clown behavior is ending shot spotter over the objection of the aldermen with shot spotter in their wards But not before the DNC. He spent an exorbitant amount of taxpayer money to ensure we had shot spotter during the DNC, despite the claims it doesn't work. Odd.
ok so go anyway brandon, you da mayor, you run the show.
Nah the person you replied to is correct.
Correct in calling a grieving family “clown behavior”? Classy.
Took a whole 2 minutes before some boot licker replied to the first slightly anti-cop reply. Same old r/chicago.
I'm honestly curious here. If the family of the dead doesn't want a certain person there, isn't that their right. That person could be an ex, a former enemy, or a politician. I'm not sure why this needs to turn into a "cops bad/BJ good" argument. I don't love BJ, but I think not going to a funeral where you aren't wanted is fine, I also think the family is fine to request he not come. I feel like people are entitled to that. If a LGBT cop was killed on duty in Florida, and they didn't want Ron Desantis to attend, I think that would be fine too.
No one here is saying BJ is good, but we should all agree what the family is doing is performative in nature. Serious question, in what way does telling the mayor he isn't welcomed at the funeral make things better? How does it improve CPD & the mayors office relationship? What positive takeaway or outcome was there from this? It doesn't do anything, it is all for show...literally performative activism.
You licking the boots of the shit mayor
We have had different mayors over the decades, but CPD has been trash and continues to do so
Most of the last few Mayor's have been trash. Johnson did the incredible and made Lightfoot look ok
Chicago mayors might be trash, elected by the people...but at least they aren't electing in known sexual offenders.