Chicago anti-violence department proposed; activist dismisses Trump post

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker agrees with an Illinois anti-violence activist who says President Donald Trump is not the person to call for help with violence in Chicago.

At least six people were killed and more than 30 others were injured in Chicago shootings from Friday through Sunday.

Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that Pritzker should call for help.

“I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!” Trump said.

Pritzker was asked about the post at an event in Decatur on Monday afternoon.

“I wish that he would stop tweeting or Truth Socialing and instead actually help us with the things that we really need,” the governor said.

Pritzker said some terrible tragedies have occurred.

“It’s why I have asked for help from the FBI, the DEA, the ATF,” the governor said.

The Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director at Live Free Illinois, said Chicago does not need militarization.

“We saw what happened when Donald Trump brought troops to Chicago. It was complete and utter chaos. He doesn’t have a track record of bringing peace. He has a track record of bringing chaos and turmoil,” Bates-Chamberlain told The Center Square.

Bates-Chamberlain joined other activists and Chicago Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Emmanuel Andre at City Hall on Monday to call for a new city department of gun violence prevention.

In April, Mayor Brandon Johnson hired Andre, a former public defender and restorative justice advocate, to the position previously held by Garien Gatewood.

Bates-Chamberlain told The Center Square the new department would have procurement power and would be funded by Chicago taxpayers.

“We believe that this this has to come from from the tax base for it to be sustained long term. The first approach to this would be coming in budget neutral,” Bates-Chamberlain said.

Bates-Chamberlain said the department would identify all of the resources currently invested in violence prevention and put them under one roof.

“When you have money in programs functioning all over across the city that we know that naturally that they’re not working efficiently, but when you’re able to deploy and coordinate those resources out of one department that just naturally helps with making sure that the strategies are one resource moving efficiently,” Bates-Chamberlain said.

Live Free Illinois receives state taxpayer funding.

When asked by The Center Square about potential state funding for the proposed department of gun violence prevention, Bates-Chamberlain said supporters are in conversations with Illinois Assistant Secretary of Firearm Violence Prevention Quiwana Bell.