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Still grappling with ‘nuanced space' of traffic stops in high-crime zones, CPD is about to deliver a new policy

Still grappling with ‘nuanced space' of traffic stops in high-crime zones, CPD is about to deliver a new policy

Chicago Tribune21-04-2025

Brian Ramson, one of the district councilors for the Chicago Police Department's Harrison District on the West Side, moved to Chicago in 2013. Since then, he said, he's been pulled over by police roughly 50 times — about four of those coming after he was sworn in less than two years ago.
A search of Cook County court records suggests Ramson — a physicist at Fermilab who is Black — has never been issued a ticket, let alone arrested.
And he may not be alone. Law enforcement officials are quick to note the thousands of guns recovered by Chicago police officers during traffic stops each year, but civil rights activists and residents of predominantly Black and Latino communities have long called the Police Department's traffic stops pretextual — using possible minor violations as a means to try to uncover more serious criminal activity.
'What I've seen from police officers in my district is they use traffic stops as a way of going around some of the limitations that they're finding and trying to enforce drug laws,' Ramson said.
Last week, Ramson was the first speaker during the fifth and final listening session to solicit feedback for the Police Department's forthcoming general order related to traffic stops. CPD within days will submit the first draft of the new general order that will likely change the rules governing when police officers are permitted to pull over a motorist.
As he spoke, Ramson urged two members of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to 'really approach the situation with … the perspective that emphasizes the people who have the, I guess, the quietest voices.'
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling often calls for officers to receive 'the best' training and be accountable when they don't adhere to department standards. In an interview with the Tribune last year, he said that any changes to CPD policy must consider the professional duties of Chicago's cops.
A report from the advocacy group Impact For Equity noted the city's Department of Emergency Management & Communications documented more than 504,000 traffic stops by officers last year. In 2023, the Police Department said it conducted 523,000 traffic stops.
'We need the best possible rules and regulations for our officers to follow, but those rules and regulations have to be fair, and they can't be rules and regulations that are going to hinder our officers from being able to go out and do their jobs constitutionally,' Snelling said in December.
The Harrison District (11th), which Ramson represents — roughly bounded by Division Street, Roosevelt Road, Western and Cicero avenues — often sees the most gun violence and most drug arrests of any of the department's 22 patrol districts each year. The neighborhoods encompassed by the district have long been the epicenter of the city's narcotics trade and opioid crisis.
'I've also watched two people bleed out in front of my house,' Ramson said.
It's the same district where, in March 2024, a team of Chicago tactical officers pulled over Dexter Reed. An exchange of gunfire ensued and Reed was killed, leading to a lawsuit city leaders have so far not settled.
The residents he represents, Ramson said, don't feel safe because of open drug activity in the area, but unfair stops shouldn't be part of a just overall strategy.
'So what I really want to make sure that we're paying attention to is that this is a nuanced space, and that while I agree with the spirit of what we're trying to do with limited-protection traffic stops, what I think is important to recognize is that there is a delicacy in how we approach this policy,' he said.
The department's policy on traffic stops has in fact reemerged as another point of contention in the department's ongoing reform efforts, largely propelled by the 2019 consent decree.
Last year the independent monitor called for the consent decree to once again be expanded, this time to also include CPD's traffic stop policy. The CCPSA — the oversight body crafting the policy with the department — has since held the series of listening sessions across the city to solicit feedback from residents, including the one at which Ramson spoke.
The policy draft is expected to be submitted for review Tuesday, and it will be made available to the public on Thursday, CCPSA Vice President Remel Terry said last week during the feedback meeting at Truman College in Uptown.
Terry's fellow commissioner, Sandra Wortham, noted that the first policy draft is far from the final word on the matter.
'While we are close to the first draft of a policy, this is not at all the end of our engagement with community (members),' Wortham said. 'We want to continue to hear from the community, and that means from all perspectives of the community.'
It remains unclear when any new policy would be put into effect.
A report issued this month by Impact For Equity found that the number of traffic stops initiated by CPD officers spiked after 2015. However, the report noted that thousands of stops were not properly documented as officers often failed to issue an Investigatory Stop Receipt.
In 2023, the ACLU of Illinois filed a still-pending class-action lawsuit that, among other things, seeks to 'prohibit CPD officers from conducting pretextual traffic stops (such as those with a primary goal of searching for contraband or engaging in alleged general deterrence of crime) or traffic stops for any reason other than enforcing moving violations that affect roadway safety.'

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LA Riots, Deportations, N-Word Karens and Other Distractions That Have Black Folks Sleepwalking
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LA Riots, Deportations, N-Word Karens and Other Distractions That Have Black Folks Sleepwalking

In an era marked by rising hate and division, the Black community faces a new kind of attack — and it isn't always glaringly obvious. As chaos unfolds on screens and in headlines, the real threats slip by unnoticed, quietly reshaping our future. This is the cautionary tale about how distraction has become a weapon, and why staying truly woke means seeing beyond the noise to protect what's ours. Now, we love the phrase 'Stay woke' — thanks, Donald Glover — but it feels like we're sleepwalking through some of the biggest moves against us without fully grasping the severity of the situation on our hands. Whether people are picking up the pieces to failed immigration policies — sparking protests like the ICE L.A. riots — or we're sucked into reality TV, we must face these issues head-on. Let's take a deep dive into some of the major players in this advanced game of distraction, and how the tactics are used against us. Shocking immigration riots took place on June 8 in Los Angeles, where thousands took to the streets after ICE launched sweeping raids. Protesters were outraged over mass detentions, family separations, and the sudden deployment of National Guard troops while facing troops, tear gas, rubber bullets, and site-wide curfews. While Black and immigrant communities fight for their voice and future, chaos is staged at the hand of the Trump administration — once again — to keep everyone on edge and off their game. Frankly, the visible and physical tactic of slapping down unity is a slap in the face…and protesters weren't afraid to turn up in the faces of the California National Guard. At least 56 were arrested over the weekend, per NBC News. Don't come for us when we say this, but entertainment is slowly but surely becoming a form of mind control. Every scandal, every rabbit hole, every bombshell media trial (we're looking at you, Diddy) — it's all keeping us locked in and tuned out. 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Today, social justice is somewhat of a trendy accessory: changing your Facebook photo to stand with victims and adding the black square to your Instagram profile. During the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, people, young and elderly, opted out of the bus system due to harsh treatment for a staggering 381 days—from Dec. 5, 1955 to Dec. 20, 1956. Compare that to now, where many won't log off for three minutes — let alone stand ten toes down for over a year. We can easily call this digital programming. Every person's feed is created especially for them, fueling their triggers, addictions, and messiest obsessions for monetary gain. No matter the social app, the goal is to keep us doom-scrolling until we're late for work, short on sleep, or deep into a chaotic rabbit hole. All the trash gets pushed to the top while real-world updates are suppressed, rendering many uninformed. Election disputes causing voter suppression may not be the intention, but it can delay access or hinder full participation. 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Chicago responds to President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids with protests. Here's what we know.
Chicago responds to President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids with protests. Here's what we know.

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Chicago responds to President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids with protests. Here's what we know.

Chicago is responding to President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids with protests that began Sunday. Two more are planned for Monday and Tuesday nights. Tonight's protest is to be held in front of the Chicago Police Department headquarters to denounce alleged cooperation of Chicago police with federal agents arrests last week as they detained immigrants outside a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement office on the Near South Side. The Police Department has denied that officers aided the federal agents. The immigration sweep resulted in a physical clash between the agents and community organizers and several Chicago aldermen, and advocates estimate at least 20 people were rounded up during the surprise check-ins last Wednesday at the federal agency's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program offices in Chicago. Protesters tonight plan to gather at 3510 S. Michigan Ave. at 6 p.m. Chicago organizers are also planning to protest Trump's extraordinary deployment of the National Guard over the weekend in Los Angeles to confront immigration protesters demonstrating against Trump's immigration crackdown in the region. The protest is planned for 5:30 p.m. at Federal Plaza on Tuesday. 'What we saw last week and over the weekend was not lawful enforcement. It was a belligerent powder grab,' said U.S Rep. Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia Monday morning at a rally in Daley Plaza with other other immigration advocates and elected officials. 'ICE raids, people abducted from jobs, from homes, from community spaces ripping parents apart from their children, kidnapping people from showing up to what they thought was a routine check in at ICE. National guard patrolling our community like we are the aggressors. This is cruelty with intent.' 'We have a message for you,' the Democrat added. 'We are not going anywhere.' The protests Monday and Tuesday follow the rally held Sunday when dozens of immigrant advocates gathered on the Lower West Side to call for an end to aggressive immigration raids in Chicago. The light rain did not dampen the spirits of demonstrators, who led a march down Cermak Road following the rally, ending at Benito Juarez Community Academy. 'I'm proud to be an immigrant, and we are not criminals,' said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, whose ward includes the Lower West Side. 'We saw the shameful events in our city early this week, and we continue to see the shameful actions in Los Angeles. Full solidarity to all the people in L.A., all the oppressed people who are fighting for dignity and respect.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned to file a lawsuit Monday against Trump's actions. The deployment appeared to be the first time in decades that a state's National Guard was activated without a request from its governor, a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration's mass deportation efforts. 'Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral,' Newsom, a Democrat, told MSNBC on Sunday. The Guard was deployed specifically to protect federal buildings, including the downtown detention center where protesters concentrated. The arrival of the National Guard followed two days of protests that began Friday in downtown Los Angeles before spreading Saturday to Paramount, a heavily Latino city south of the city, and neighboring Compton. Federal agents arrested immigrants in LA's fashion district, in a Home Depot parking lot and at several other locations on Friday. The next day, they were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office near another Home Depot in Paramount, which drew out protesters who suspected another raid. Federal authorities later said there was no enforcement activity at that Home Depot. The weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the LA area climbed above 100, federal authorities said. Many more were arrested while protesting, including a prominent union leader who was accused of impeding law enforcement. The last time the National Guard was activated without a governor's permission was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. On Sunday, Gov. JB Pritzker added his name to a statement from Democratic governors calling Trump's deployment of the National Guard 'an alarming abuse of power.' 'Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state's governor is ineffective and dangerous. Further, threatening to send the U.S. Marines into American neighborhoods undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement,' the statement said, which was also signed by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 'It's important we respect the executive authority of our country's governors to manage their National Guards,' it said, 'and we stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.'

Trump Has Long Floated Using Force Against His Own People — Now He Has the Pretext to Do So
Trump Has Long Floated Using Force Against His Own People — Now He Has the Pretext to Do So

Yahoo

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'You just [expletive] shot the reporter!' Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was in the middle of a live cross, covering the protests against the Trump administration's mass deportation policy in Los Angeles, California. As Tomasi spoke to the camera, microphone in hand, an LAPD officer in the background appeared to target her directly, hitting her in the leg with a rubber bullet. Earlier, reports emerged that British photojournalist Nick Stern was undergoing emergency surgery after also being hit by the same 'non-lethal' ammunition. The situation in Los Angeles is extremely volatile. After nonviolent protests against raids and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began in the suburb of Paramount, President Donald Trump issued a memo describing them as 'a form of rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States'. He then deployed the National Guard. As much of the coverage has noted, this is not the first time the National Guard has been deployed to quell protests in the U.S. In 1970, members of the National Guard shot and killed four students protesting the war in Vietnam at Kent State University. In 1992, the National Guard was deployed during protests in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four police officers (three of whom were white) in the severe beating of a Black man, Rodney King. Trump has long speculated about violently deploying the National Guard and even the military against his own people. During his first administration, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, former Secretary of Defence Mark Esper alleged that Trump asked him, 'Can't you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something?' Trump has also long sought to other those opposed to his radical agenda to reshape the United States and its role in the world. He's classified them as 'un-American' and, therefore, deserving of contempt and, when he deems it necessary, violent oppression. During last year's election campaign, he promised to 'root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country'. Even the Washington Post characterised this description of Trump's 'political enemies' as 'echoing Hitler, Mussolini'. In addition, Trump has long peddled baseless conspiracies about 'sanctuary cities', such as Los Angeles. He has characterised them as lawless havens for his political enemies and places that have been 'invaded' by immigrants. As anyone who has ever visited these places knows, that is not true. It is no surprise that in the same places Trump characterises as 'disgracing our country', there has been staunch opposition to his agenda and ideology. That opposition has coalesced in recent weeks around the activities of ICE agents, in particular. These agents, wearing masks to conceal their identities, have been arbitrarily detaining people, including US citizens and children, and disappearing people off the streets. They have also arrested caregivers, leaving children alone. As Adam Serwer wrote in The Atlantic during the first iteration of Trump in America, 'the cruelty is the point'. The Trump administration's mass deportation program is deliberately cruel and provocative. It was always only a matter of time before protests broke out. In a democracy, nonviolent protest by hundreds or perhaps a few thousand people in a city of ten million is not a crisis. But it has always suited Trump and the movement that supports him to manufacture crises. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a key architect of the mass deportations program and a man described by a former adviser as 'Waffen SS', called the protests 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States'. Trump himself also described protesters as 'violent, insurrectionist mobs'. Nowhere does the presidential memo deploying the National Guard name the specific location of the protests. This, and the extreme language coming out of the administration, suggests it is laying the groundwork for further escalation. The administration could be leaving space to deploy the National Guard in other places and invoke the Insurrection Act. Incidents involving the deployment of the National Guard are rare, though politically cataclysmic. It is rarer still for the National Guard to be deployed against the wishes of a democratically elected leader of a state, as Trump has done in California. This deployment comes at a time of crisis for U.S. democracy more broadly. Trump's longstanding attacks against independent media — what he describes as 'fake news' — are escalating. There is a reason that during the current protests, a law enforcement officer appeared so comfortable targeting a journalist, on camera. The Trump administration is also actively targeting independent institutions such as Harvard and Columbia universities. It is also targeting and undermining judges and reducing the power of independent courts to enforce the rule of law. Under Trump, the federal government and its state-based allies are targeting and undermining the rights of minority groups — policing the bodies of trans people, targeting reproductive rights, and beginning the process of undoing the Civil Rights Act. Trump is, for the moment, unconstrained. Asked overnight what the bar is for deploying the Marines against protesters, Trump responded: 'The bar is what I think it is'. As New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie recently observed: 'We should treat Trump and his openly authoritarian administration as a failure, not just of our party system or our legal system, but of our Constitution and its ability to meaningfully constrain a destructive and system-threatening force in our political life.' While the situation in Los Angeles is unpredictable, it must be understood in the broader context of the active, violent threat the Trump administration poses to the U.S. As we watch, American democracy teeters on the brink. This article was updated on June 9, 2025 to correct information about Rodney King. Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post Trump Has Long Floated Using Force Against His Own People — Now He Has the Pretext to Do So appeared first on Katie Couric Media.

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