Edgewater Gets Positive On Crime
Chicago has always been plagued with the stereotype of being an aggressive and crime-ridden city to live in. Our community of Edgewater has had its fair share of shootings and violent episodes in the last few month, making residents nervous to walk around our own area. But we are also the community that comes together when these things happen, to show how much we care about where we live and that we won’t tolerate violence of any kind. 
With warmer weather on the way, this week marks the beginning of the local Positive Loitering walk. Launched by the Thorndale Action Task Force and 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman, this public safety walk is intended to celebrate the beginning of spring and bring neighbors together. The first walk is Wednesday, April 9 from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Community members will meet at the northwest corner of Thorndale and Winthrop. The intention of the Positive Loitering walk is to disrupt any presumed gang activity on the streets. The walks comprise a group of concerned neighbors walking leisurely along streets that are referred to as “hot spots.” Hot spots are areas that have had previous gang activity or crime and tend to have people loitering on a regular basis. “Our walks have had success pushing people in gangs, off certain streets such as Thorndale. We will continue to move towards hot spots to make our presence known,” says task force organizer Rachel Sibio-Sanchez. There are no extreme measures or gestures made toward anyone. The walk is a peaceful and passive one intended to promote safety for everyone. The group works with the support of police districts 24 and 20. The Positive Loitering walks are open to everyone in the neighborhood. They happen at dusk, once a week (weather depending), from late April through mid-November. “We really go at it. When I first started four years ago there were five to six shootings that year, and the media didn’t cover the shootings much. Last year there was only two to three shootings. This year there has already been two, but that doesn’t deter me. It has given us a chance to refocus for this year ahead.” Look for information about the walks on the Alderman’s newsletters, Every Block, and the EdgeVilleBuzz networks. For more information, reach out to chicagogirl0042@gmail.com.
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