October 16, 1995 | by Jorge Oclander
The rules on who may attend police union picnics were tightened following a 1993 outing at which guests and police officers flashed gang signs at each other, the union president says.
Bill Nolan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the union reinstated a rule limiting picnic attendance to immediate families after the 1993 gathering, where some officers of the Shakespeare District flashed gang signs at each other and brought gang members as guests.
“Other police officers were upset. They felt they and their families were insulted by officers throwing gang signs,” Nolan said. “We began to enforce the attendance a lot more.
“Some of the officers (involved) were from the 14th district,” Nolan said. The 14th is the Shakespeare District.
Nolan’s comments came after he appeared at a news conference Friday called by Hispanic police organizations to criticize a Chicago Sun-Times story revealing that the ranks of the Chicago Police Department include members of street gangs.
The Sun-Times investigation showed the Shakespeare District had more officers disciplined, suspended or convicted for crimes linked to gang activities.
Jose Ortiz Jr., president of the Puerto Rican Police Association, said some officers from the Shakespeare District had been found to be linked to street gangs. But, he said, “It was only three or four” and they already had been prosecuted or fired. He said he did not know of any additional gang-linked cops at the station now. The Sun-Times story cited seven cases.
Ortiz was confronted by Ald. Vilma Colom (35th), who was “kicked off” the Puerto Rican Police Association because she had complained about safety problems and gang activity in the Shakespeare District.
“My comments were based on people who came to my office to complain about (police) services,” Colom said. “Their problem is they do not feel safe in my neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, residents in the Shakespeare District said they have noticed a greater police presence since the stories were published last week. Many, however, said the neighborhood continues to be “run by the gangs.”
One resident said he has allowed his children to go outside to play only five or six times in the two years they have lived in an apartment on Potomac Street.
“What really gets you is seeing the police socialize with drug dealers. I personally saw this one person – one of the gang-bangers, a woman – give them a package, a white envelope,” he said.
The widow of a dope dealer killed after he and two Shakespeare officers allegedly stole drugs from another dealer said she warned her husband not to get close to the cops.
“They are worse than drug dealers because they have power to control,” said Willie Borges’ widow. “They think they can get away with it. They pressured (Borges) to do things, to make him call people and set up drug-ripoffs.”
One officer was convicted of insurance fraud related to the drug theft and resigned from the force, and the other officer currently is under suspension facing dismissal, according to Michael W. Hoke, commander of the department’s Internal Affairs Division.
Borges’ widow said she found her husband and his friend shot to death on the floor of her apartment.
A former member of the Latin Gangster Disciples said old relationships are affecting the way some police officers carry out their duties. “The (Latin) King cops take care of the Latin King areas, and the Folks are assigned to the Folk areas. They help their old friends.”
Neighbors said they were reluctant to report gang activity. “Your name gets found out,” said one neighbor on Spaulding Avenue. “We all have children.”
Caption: Latino police groups Friday decried reports of gang infiltration of the Chicago Police Department. At the news conference are (from left): Jose Ortiz Jr., president, Puerto Rican Police Association; Richard Guerrero, vice president, Latin American Police Association; Ald. Vilma Colom (35th); Lucio Martinez, president, Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association, and Fraternal Order of Police president Bill Nolan. Ortiz said “only three or four” officers had been tied to gangs, and they were prosecuted or fired. Credit: BRIAN JACKSON
Recent Comments