Chicago Police Department: Corruption in the 6th District

May 24, 2009

Chicago Police Department
Mr. Jody Weis, Superintendent of Police
3510 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60653

CERTIFIED MAIL

Re: Chicago Police Department – 6th District Corruption

Mr. Weis:

I, Fred Nance Jr, and my daughter witnessed and reported the following to the Independent Police Review Authority:

On May 7, 2009, at approximately 8:48 pm, I was driving my car west on 79th Street. When I approached the corner of 79th and State Street I was stopped by the red light (north/east corner). My daughter and I saw a black teenager collecting money from passengers in their cars at the corner of 79th Street and State Street (north/east corner). The passengers in the cars were dropping their money in the black teenager’s white wash bucket.

A white female police officer, with black/gray short hair, driving Chicago Police squad car #9699, got out of her car and started talking to the teenager. The white police officer took the contents of 2 buckets, put it in her police car on the front seat, and put the white buckets in her trunk. The white police officer allowed the black teenager to walk away. The white police officer drove away from the scene.

I called 311 to report the incident, to assure this police turned in the money she took from the black teenager. The 311 officer connected me to the 6th District, which I am told is located at 78th and Halsted streets. I asked to speak to the duty officer or supervisor. Officer Gray informed me there was no supervisor on duty (no white shirts in the building). I asked for the Commander’s name. Officer Gray informed it was Commander Johnson. I told Officer Gray why I was calling. Officer Gray informed me I had to call the Independent Police Review Authority.

I called the Independent Police Review Authority. I spoke to Ms. Heard. She took my report, which is stated above. Ms. Heard assigned me to #1026184. Ms. Heard told me that Internal Affairs would be contacting me. I received a letter dated May 8, 2009 stating “…The Independent Police Review Authority received your information on May 7, 2009, and gave it Log Number 1026184. It has been forwarded to the Internal Affairs Division of the Chicago Police Department….”

On May 23, 2009 I received a call from a person saying his name was Sgt. Schultz, badge #887 of the 6th District. Sgt. Schultz began questioning me as if I had committed a crime. He was rude, abrasive and disrespectful. He asked what happened. I told him (the statement above). He asked me several times how did I know there was money in the bucket. I continued giving him the same answer, I saw people in cars putting money in the buckets, and I saw the white female police officer take the contents, put it in the front seat of her car, and the buckets in the trunk of her police car. This Sgt. continued to badger and hassle me about how did I know there was money in the buckets. I told him I was not going to talk to him anymore, and that I was going to write a letter to Mr. Jody Weis, send it by certified mail and post it on my blogs. Sgt. Schultz said, “What does Jody Weis have to do with this?” I told Sgt. Schultz that I was through talking to him.

I immediately called Internal Affairs. I talked to a person who called himself Sgt. Stehlik, badge #1945. I told him of my experience with Sgt. Schultz of the 6th District. I asked Sgt. Stehlik, Why would Internal Affairs have the police district I made the complaint against call me, questioning me? Sgt. Stehlik informed me that the process dictates that the 6th District is supposed to investigate the issue. I asked Sgt. Stehlik, why would Internal Affairs allow an entity to investigate itself? Sgt. Stehlik informed me that the Chief of Internal Affairs determines and makes the rules. I asked for the name of the Chief of Internal Affairs. Sgt. Stehlik informed me his name is Juan Rivera. I informed Sgt. Stehlik that I would write this letter to Mr. Jody Weis questioning the process of the Chicago Police Department’s Internal Affairs.

Sir, before I came to this intersection I attended a “town hall” meeting at Chicago State University. The topic was “CPS: Students at Risk.” There are many factors to why crime so prevalent among youth in Chicago. One factor is police corruption, such as describe here. What this officer did was blatant and intrusive to the black community. There were many other cars watching this event. Most of them were black adult motorist. What do you think they were thinking when they saw this “white” female officer take this young black teenager’s money?

This teenager was not robbing anyone. This teenager was not shooting anyone. This teenager was not selling drugs. This teenager may not have any food to eat at home. I have come to this intersection and saw as many as 4 or 5 youths beating on these white buckets like they were drums trying to solicit money from automobile drivers. If this officer thought it was important to take this kids money because he did not have a “peddlers” license, she should have taken him to the juvenile detention center. You cannot allow your police officers to take money from people on the street. When this police officer did not detain this youth, I knew she was going to keep his money. She had no accountability for her actions.

Thomas Jefferson once stated “Experience hath shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operation, perverted it into tyranny.” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis stated “Crime is contagious. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law.”

Sir, you know the black community has contempt for the Chicago Police Department. I am only one person. There are others who see things like this every day. They may not report it because they believe you will do nothing about it. I believe that if I tell you and the world, maybe someone will listen and stop crime perpetrated by the Chicago Police Department.

Sir, I am requesting an investigation into the corruption in the 6th District and an apology from Sgt. Schultz of the 6th District for being disrespectful, rude and abrasive to me.

Respectfully submitted,

Fred Nance Jr., ABD, MA, CADC, NCRS

cc:

http://clickforjusticeandequality.blogspot.com/
Mr. Juan Rivera, CPD Chief of Internal Affairs