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Public Urination, Drinking Tickets Up 40 Percent in Wicker Park

By Alisa Hauser | August 10, 2015 9:52am
 Shakespeare District police officers spoke with local residents at the Wicker Park Committee's monthly meeting on Aug. 5.
Shakespeare District police officers spoke with local residents at the Wicker Park Committee's monthly meeting on Aug. 5.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser

WICKER PARK — Tickets for drinking and urinating in the public way are up 40 percent in the main beat in the Wicker Park neighborhood, police say.

"These tickets are making people more accountable," Chicago Police Capt. Anthony Escamilla said at a recent neighborhood meeting at the Park Field House, 1425 N. Damen Ave.

Cops from the Shakespeare District Police stopped by the Wicker Park Committee's monthly gathering Wednesday to talk about crime trends as well as to emphasize the importance of working together.

Escamilla said the number of Administrative Notice of Ordinance Violation (ANOV) tickets were compared to the same two-month period in June and July of last year. The misdemeanors require an appearance at the city's Central Hearing Facility Court, 400 W. Superior St.

Fines start at $150 per offense and can go up to $1,000 for drinking in the public way or urinating, thanks to tougher laws passed by City Council in 2013.  Those slapped with tickets can even face jail time if they fail to appear in court.

Alisa Hauser says police have been cracking down:

In June and July in Wicker Park, there were 91 tickets issued for drinking on the public way and 61 for public urination. There were also 39 issued for curfew violations, Escamilla said. All of the tickets were issued in Beat 1424, bordered by North Avenue on the north, Division street on the south, Wood Street on the east and Western Avenue on the west.

Previously Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "These are not victimless crimes, as they have a negative impact on communities and the quality of life for our children, families and all residents."

Escamilla encouraged residents to call in issues and talk with police.

"There are a lot of good voices out there. We need you to be our eyes and ears," Escamilla said.

"We don't want to be considered an alternative. This is the community; we can't combat crime to the extent that we need to do without you," said Officer Gretchen Chavez, explaining a new language change from Community Alternative Policing (CAPS) to "Community Policing."

Escamilla also discussed a shooting that occured three hours after Wicker Park Fest ended last month.

"It was legacy gangs who interacted. It's unfortunate that it happened; the victim [of the shooting] was not cooperating with police," Escamilla said.

After the meeting, Leah Root, president of the Wicker Park Committee, said she and others "felt really good about our police team in the 14th District." 

"They were straightforward and extremely accessible," Root said.

Upcoming community policing meetings are as follows:

Wednesday, Beat 1424

Wicker Park's Beat 1424 meeting will be held at 7 pm. Wednesday in the Wicker Park Field House, 1425 N. Damen Ave.

Aug. 19 (Wednesday), Beat 1434

A meeting for the Wicker Park, Bucktown and Logan Square areas will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the Bucktown/Wicker Park library, 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Beat 1434 is a bordered by Armitage Avenue on the north, North Avenue on the south, Wood Street on the east, and Rockwell Street on the west.

Aug. 20

A meeting for two beats in Bucktown, Noble Square, and Wicker Park will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at Pulaski Park, 1419 W. Blackhawk.

Beats 1432/33 are bordered by Wood Street to the west, the Chicago River to the east, Division Street to the south and Armitage Avenue to the north.

View a map of all Shakespeare district beats here. More information on particular beats and meetings is available on the Chicago Police Department's new website. Residents can also follow the local police on Twitter at @ChicagoCAPS14.

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