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More Summer of Joy

Image: PV Bella

Man in custody after climbing into CTA Blue Line train conductor’s seat at Cicero stop, CPD says. Suspect climbed through open window, CPD says. (ABC Chicago)

You know we live in a city of crisis due to all the violence, especially carjackings. But, when a person attempts to EL-jack a CTA train, it proves this city is out of control and on a path to self-destruction.

Last night, a man jumped through the window of a CTA Blue Line El car at 700 S. Cicero. The operator powered down and secured the train before escaping with the keys. The man could not move the train. Police captured him nearby.

Another gleeful incident in Mayor Lightfoot’s Summer of Joy. The question is, What if? What if the operator just fled in fear without securing the train? What if the offender could move the train? What if, because of his lack of knowledge, he derailed or crashed the train? What if there was a tragedy, people were severely injured or loss of life?

The bigger what-if question is, will thrill-seeking copycat criminals attempt to El-jack trains or bus-jack buses just for the joyriding thrill of it? Do not think it cannot or will not happen.

We saw last week how thrill-seekers started mini-street racing riots. So, what is to stop thrill-seekers from hijacking an El train or bus? Nothing. Nothing stops robberies or other violent crimes on CTA platforms and trains, despite all the cameras.

Street robberies, shootings, mass shootings, and murders are the norm in Chicago. Now, we must fear being hijacked on public transportation.

While the city is in crisis, Mayor Lightfoot is touting all the Summer of Joy bread and circuses in the city. She is off on a junket with her family and some staff to Europe to hype Chicago as a joyful economy and a gleeful place for business and tourism.

Some neighborhood organizations hired private security agencies to patrol their business and entertainment areas because of crime. That is something that would be unheard of in the near past.

This article shows just how bad Chicago really is- New 2021 Chicago data shows 400,000 high-priority incidents where dispatchers had no police available to send – Wirepoints. During 2021 The Office of Emergency Management received 780,000 high-priority calls. 52% of those calls had no police available. Chicago police handled over 1,000,000 911 dispatched calls for service per year between 2019 and 2021. 60% were high priority.

If the police cannot handle high-priority assignments in a timely fashion, the public is not safe. Something is terribly wrong and that something is on the fifth floor of City Hall and the Office of the Superintendent of Police, David “Tex” Brown.

The leadership in this city is asleep at the wheel and more tragedies are waiting to happen. There is no level of competence or leadership. Few Chicago elected officials in this City of inept scoundrels are voicing concern and demanding better or a total reset.

The tame news media only reports the problems. Unlike, in the past, when the news media cared, there are no scorching editorials demanding better. The Chicago news media is just as irresponsible as the elected officials and their appointments.

Happy Summer of Joy and Bon Voyage Lori. Have a wonderful time. We wish you were here.

Published inUncategorized