WEST ROGERS PARK — About 40 officers plan to hold a Friday evening roll call in the parking lot of a Howard Street Popeyes as a show of force to potential criminals.
Residents and officers from both the Chicago and Evanston police departments plan to gather at 6 p.m. Friday at 1959 W. Howard St. for the event, said Rogers Park Police Cmdr. Thomas Waldera.
Waldera said the shift change will last only 10 to 15 minutes.
"We’d like to send the message that police still are working on Howard to improve the quality life on Howard Street and the surrounding area," said Bernard Garbo, a CAPS beat facilitator who had been organizing neighbors to attend.
Garbo said the police departments had done the outdoor shift changes at least once a year for the past few years.
Sometime they're done in response to a shooting or other criminal act, but Friday's event is to mark the beginning of summer, he said.
He said the roll call was originally conceived when Howard Street was considerably more dangerous.
And by drawing both Chicago and Evanston, he said, the "little ritual" helps to unite neighbors on both sides of Howard Street.
