By Edward M. Bury, APR, MA (aka The PRDude)
These days, on my six-block stroll to catch the CTA Blue Line to get to work, I always walk on a nearby one-way street with the traffic coming towards me. On a casual hike through the neighborhood, I only carry some cash and house keys. I regularly observe every vehicle that passes or is parked nearby. Rarely will I venture out on foot after dark.
From these few sentences, you can perhaps ascertain that I am addressing a concern of sorts. And, you are correct.
Simply put, over the past several months there’s been a near daily rash of armed robberies and assaults that are taking place across many parts of Chicago, including our North Side neighborhood.
I sometimes visit the online site CWB Chicago to read the grisly details: Where the crime took place; the time of day; the age and gender of the victim. All too sadly, the scenario is the same: A group of young men driving a stolen sedan or SUV rush out of the vehicle — guns drawn — and demand wallets, phones, and cash. Sometimes the victim is struck. Increasingly, these assaults are taking place in broad daylight and on busy streets. As noted in this Block Club article from today, a woman recently was shot and seriously wounded — on an afternoon on a quiet street just around a mile-and-a-half west of where we live.
Yes, I have questions, as do many. How do these thugs get away with these brazen crimes? Why do they engage in these cowardly, dangerous actions? Do they find this kind of activity to be “cool” or “hip?” Are they pressured to rob innocent people? Are these so-called — by the media and others — “crews” part of some organized criminal entity? Is this level of “drive up” robbery taking place in other cities? What can police and other authorities do to mitigate or end this crisis?
And, from another perspective, this question: If continued unabated, what impact will this rash of robbery and violence do to Chicago’s reputation as a place to live, work, do business, and visit? Speaking of visitors, the 2024 Democratic National Convention will take place here in August, bringing the focus of media from around the world to Chicago.
In the past, I’ve published posts with the perspective of “what can public relations do” to address a challenge. This post from 2013 took a somewhat whimsical perspective on the value of sound public relations regarding a natural phenomenon literally falling from the skies. The random robberies taking place certainly don’t merit any light-hearted commentary.
Regarding the subject of this post, I hope it will bring greater awareness of the problem and that neighbors will vigilant and steadfast in doing their utmost to stay safe.
One more question: When will this end?
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