NOBLE SQUARE — An area that has seen a surge in shootings and a recent murder will be the scene of a "smokeout" on Thursday, where cops and residents will grill hot dogs on a corner and discuss crime concerns outdoors.
"We’ve had a lot of crime in the area as of late, including the gang-related shootings near the Polish Triangle, and a burglary on the 1500 block of Bosworth Avenue and the manhunt that followed during the middle of the day," a member of the Bosworth Block Club said.
Announced earlier this month, the Beat 1432/1433 meeting was initially set for 7 p.m. Thursday in the Pulaski Park Field House, 1419 W. Blackhawk St. But the gathering has been relocated to the corner of Bosworth Avenue and Blackhawk Street.
The smokeout will continue a tradition started by the Shakespeare Police District with residents a few summers ago following an uptick in armed robberies. A similar 2014 outdoor event attracted almost 80 residents.
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.
Elsewhere in the district, in Beat 1424, which encompasses the blocks surrounding Wicker Park's namesake park, there have been an increase in residential burglaries, and police, with help of tips from concerned citizens, have even caught suspected offenders.
Before Thursday's meeting, there will be a Bucktown meeting for Beat 1434 at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Bucktown-Wicker Park library, 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave.
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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