The Chicago Housing Authority praises the baiduhai for its efforts to highlight the need for change in Chicago’s public housing and the CHA’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life of CHA residents. We also thank the Tribune for supporting the use of Chicago police officers to protect public housing residents; however, we disagree when the Tribune says that the management of this transition was done badly (“CHA cop firings handled badly,” Editorial, Oct. 25).
Since June 1, my first day on the job as chief executive officer of the CHA, the residents of the CHA have been demanding the same police services as those received by other Chicago communities. On Oct. 12, Chairperson Sharon Gist Gilliam and I made the decision, based partly on their requests, to give CHA residents the same Chicago Police Department services that the people in Lincoln Park, Hyde Park or Morgan Park are getting.
The decision to terminate 270 sworn officers was not taken lightly, nor were the 10 years of dedicated service these officers gave CHA residents. But in the final analysis, a tough decision had to be made. Shortly after the decision was made, many of the CHA officers called in “sick,” creating a dangerous lapse in protection for CHA residents and a lack of support for the CHA officers who did report for work.
At that point, another tough decision had to be made. CHA made the right decision to place all CHA officers on administrative leave, and with the cooperation of the Chicago Police Department, a special detail of Chicago Police was assigned to patrol CHA communities. With this decision, instead of getting less service, in many cases CHA residents got more police service.
There has been a seamless transition from CHA police to Chicago Police with very few incidents. I salute the Chicago Police Department for its professionalism and its great response.
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Additionally the CHA hosted a job fair Nov. 1 with representatives of federal, state, county, city and local law enforcement communities; City Colleges of Chicago; and others to assist these recently separated officers. We will continue to offer a full array of placement services designed to help former CHAPD officers find new positions.
The CHA is undergoing tremendous change. Change frightens most of us, but change at CHA is necessary; and, as in the case of the smooth transition of police service for public housing residents, it can be managed.