Reducing shootings, armed robberies and burglaries are the top three priorities in 2025 for the Chicago Police Department’s 9th District, according to its just-released District Strategic Plan.
At the February 26, 2025, meeting of the 9th District Police Council, Commander Joseph Mark reviewed the strategic plan and explained how the 9th District expects to reduce crime in those areas, including in the burglary-plagued McKinley Park and nearby neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Burglaries Rise
“We have beefed up police presence on business corridors to try and reduce these burglaries,” Mark said.
In the McKinley Park neighborhood, burglaries rose by 11 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. Many occurred overnight at businesses that were closed, Mark said. Perpetrators would break in and steal money from the cash register, and sometimes haul out an ATM machine.
Easy Escape Routes
“Offenders can easily escape via the Dan Ryan or Stevenson Expressway from multiple entrances off Wentworth or Ashland Avenue,” the strategic plan stated.
The plan highlighted burglary activity between South Ashland Avenue east to South Wentworth Avenue, and from Pershing Road north to the Stevenson Expressway.
Robbery Teams
Many armed robberies occur overnight in the Back of the Yards and Brighton Park neighborhoods, with offenders preying on street vendors who are setting up shop for the day, Mark said.
Robbers work in teams with one in a car — usually a stolen vehicle — while one or more brandish guns and demand money, Mark said. The robbers usually wear masks and dark clothing.
License Plate Tracking
“Robberies have been crimes of opportunity,” the strategic plan stated. “The offenders are usually armed with handguns and/or rifles, which allow them to easily overpower the victim.”
Police are using license plate readers to identify stolen cars and stop the drivers, Mark said.
Back of the Yards Gangs
Contrasting with nearby areas, in the McKinley Park neighborhood robberies fell 21 percent from 2023 to 2024.
Gang violence in the Back of the Yards neighborhood continues to drive shootings in the district, Mark said.
Despair Within Community
“Identifying the main gang members who are causing the problems is the key to slowing down the violence,” the strategic plan stated, highlighting an April 2024 shooting in which four young children at a family gathering were struck by gang gunfire.
“The tragic shooting exemplifies the loss and despair within the community,” the strategic plan said. “Beat meetings are not well-attended because residents are afraid to be seen conversing with law enforcement.”
Latin Saints and La Raza
Conflict between Latin Saints and La Raza street gangs is the main cause of this violence, the strategic plan said. “The stronghold these gangs have on the area limit community members from participating in neighborhood events held throughout the year.”
Street racing and car caravans remain one of the biggest complaints in Beat 912, which covers most of the McKinley Park neighborhood. It’s “a chronic issue all over the city and suburbs,” Mark said.
9th District Meeting in McKinley Park
Chicago Police Department Officer Gonzalez takes notes at the January 2025 Beat 912 CAPS meeting.“At certain intersections we place small speed bumps” to slow down the street racers, Mark said, adding that police will deploy a team of police cars to disperse street racers, because otherwise they may be outnumbered.
More information about local policing in the context of the District Strategic Plan will be available at the next 9th District Police Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St.
Beat 912 CAPS
The bi-monthly Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) meeting for Beat 912 also focused on neighborhood crime patterns.
On a crisp, 19-degree evening on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, nary a soul could be found walking in McKinley Park, but three showed up at the field house for the year’s first CAPS meeting, joined by three officers from the 9th District.
No One Shot
Officer Christopher Gonzalez reported the most notable crimes to occur in the period from Nov. 13, 2024, through Jan. 7, 2025.
Although police received 14 reports of shots fired during this time, no one was reported shot, Gonzalez said. Among the 2,010 calls for service were 13 in which citizens reported persons with a gun. Beat 912 arrests totaled 36 in this two-month reporting period.
Thefts at Walgreens
Eight robberies – six of them armed – took place in Beat 912, and eleven restaurants and stores were burglarized overnight during this period. Motor vehicle thefts totaled 15.
A citizen attending the beat meeting noted an uptick in theft activity at the Walgreens store at 1926 W. 35th St., Chicago. Gonzalez suggested that those with concerns contact Walgreens headquarters, including Government Relations and Civic Engagement Senior Director Donovan Pepper at donovan.pepper@walgreens.com and (847) 315-4863.
Shots Fired at Home
Another citizen reported that on a recent Sunday morning, a silver Dodge Charger was seen firing at least seven shots at a home in the 3300 block of South Bell Avenue.
No one was hurt in the incident, and police speculated that the driver targeted the wrong house because senior citizens live there.
Next Meeting March 12
The house had a Ring camera, which allowed police to get a good description of the vehicle and issue a bulletin to find it, Gonzalez said.
Interested neighborhood residents, organizations and enterprises can connect with local police at the next Chicago Police Meeting for Beat 912 at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the McKinley Park field house, 2210 W. Pershing Road, Chicago.
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