As the video released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and Chicago Police Department surrounding the shooting of Dexter Reed truly shows, our work as police district councilors has barely begun. It is in my opinion that a shooting of this type is barbaric at worst, and beyond the scope of what was needed to secure a citizen over what stated by the department to be a simple traffic stop.
Our police department for too long has been allowed to act as judge, jury, and executioner during certain interactions, and I am appalled because even as a military member in the throes of conflict, my superiors would be expected to me accountable for such an over-the-top use of firing 96 rounds at one individual, even after they ceased to be a threat to myself or my men. To continue an onslaught such as this, reeks of fear, bias and poor training.
All we can say as citizens at this point is, what will the city determine that this young man’s life is worth in millions of taxpayer money?
— Ephraim Lee, Second District Council Member, Chicago
Grateful for proactive policing
I want to express thanks and gratitude for the Chicago police in their proactive policing. The recent shootout in which an armed driver initiated the shooting, underscores the danger on Chicago streets. The same newscast reported that a child was shot in the back in an unrelated incident. I work in River North in a job which I leave in the early evening. Over the last two-and-a-half years, I have missed being caught in acts of violence by minutes each time: a shootout (7 people were reported shot), a drive-by shooting, a knife attack at the neighboring convenience store at which I sometimes make an after-work stop and a knife attack on the CTA train car I was riding to go home. Obviously, I consider myself fortunate, given those close calls. But I don’t want to continue tempting fate. So I believe the Chicago police should be saluted for the risk they take in these stops.
— Jim Halas, Norridge
96 shots
96 shots in 41 seconds by four tactical officers is nothing short of an execution.
— Dan Wasser, Wheaton
CPD needs better marksmanship training
Video was recently released of a fatal vehicle street stop. It shows the offender discharging his firearm striking a Chicago police officer. Subsequently, CPD discharging their firearms 96 times.
As a former police officer and military veteran. I believe proper training in marksmanship and vehicle street stops should be mandatory and ongoing throughout police officers careers.
On the police force it is required to qualify once a year on your side arm. This is not acceptable. The CPD should have to train with their firearms on a monthly basis at a minimum. This should apply to everyone that is sworn, from officers in blue to white shirts at headquarters.
In the military, training is key. You train your entire career and when you deploy, the lessons learned, and burned, into your brain kick in. Minimizing shots on contact and controlling your situation with a level head.
Training. Training. Training.
Mayor Brandon Johnson should come up with a plan to train every officer in his police department to be an expert in marksmanship. It was a miracle no bystanders or people in nearby homes were injured. Unless Mayor Johnson proposes to disarm the CPD, the officers in the police department should always be training with their firearms, until they retire.
— Roberto Garcia, Chicago
Transfer incentives in the NCAA
In watching the NCAA basketball tournament, two items caught my attention. One was the commercials that current college players were doing. The second item was the comments the announcers frequently made that several players had transferred from other colleges to play for the present team. Since college players can now sell their name, image, and likeness or NIL, a search of the net indicated that there are college athletes who are presently in school and are being paid more than a million dollars a year. Since college basketball coaches can earn considerably more, what these athletes are being paid does not concern me.
What does concern me is that a wealthy and misguided college team supporter could offer several outstanding athletes a lucrative amount of monetary incentives to transfer to the college team he or she supports. With the adopted transfer protocol, the athlete would become immediately eligible to play and wouldn’t need to sit out for a year. Well-paying commercials, automobiles and other incentives could be part of the package the athlete would be offered. Doing this for a number of athletes would result in a college team being the best that money can buy.
Would doing this be fair? Of course it wouldn’t, but from what I presently understand there is no way to stop this from happening. It would seem this is a ticking time bomb the NCAA and colleges are going to be confronted with at some time in the future. What can be done to prevent this from happening is anyone’s guess.
— Al Zvinakis, Lemont
Parents should bear responsibility
It’s about time that parents of young killers bear some responsibility for their child’s heinous acts. Sending Ethan Crumbley’s parents to prison will not bring back any of the four slain victims. But precedent will be set. Parents need to know their children or pay the price, as have James and Jennifer Crumbley.
— JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Florida
Citizens of the Earth
It was refreshing to participate in an event such as the April 8 solar eclipse. We all shared this shindig without any politicking. There was no partisan spin applied to this occasion. We gathered together to look up into the sky not thinking about being Democrats or Republicans. For a brief period, we enjoyed a respite from the madness of our current political environment. It was a timely reminder that we are all citizens of Earth.
— Scott Thompson, Bloomington, Indiana
Eclipse photo
In your chasing shadows story ( “Solar eclipse thrills onlookers, lives up to its hype in Illinois,” April 9) regarding the eclipse, on page four you print a beautiful image of a “gull” flying across a partial eclipse. That is a misinterpretation. If one looks closely, there is a broomstick and pointy hat clear as day! Dorothy would certainly agree.
— Daniel Weinberg, Highland Park
Submit a letter to the editor, of no more than 400 words, by emailing letters@chicagotribune.com. To review our criteria, click here.