Politics

Top Cop To Gov.: City Violence Not Out Of Control

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The governor's crime fighting offer seemed to catch everyone off guard. On Thursday, Chicago's top cop called a news conference where he didn't try to hide the violent truth.

"It is up, it is up," Supt. Jody Weis said. "The facts don't lie. The murder rate's up about 13 percent."

Police superintendent Jody Weis didn't shrink from acknowledging the increase in Chicago's homicide rate, but his assessment was far less dire than the governor's, who yesterday offered to send in state troopers or the National Guard.

"I think we, those of us at the state level, need to offer a helping hand, and do something to help the mayor get his hands around this uncontrolled violence that's taking hold of some communities in the city of Chicago," Blagojevich said Wednesday.

Weis strongly disagreed that the violence was out of control. The superintendent delivered his version of the crime situation at Chicago police headquarters one day after Gov. Blagojevich had given a much different view.

"We've enjoyed phenomenal success in crime fighting since 2004," Supt. Weis said. "My predecessor did a great job since 2004. We may go up a little bit this year. But I don't see us going to the levels of the 70's or 90's when the murder rates were in the 800's. Although it sounds really bad, if you do a mathematical projection it's going to be right in line with the success the Chicago Police Department has had since 2004."

While newspapers compared the governor's offer to that of a Wild West sheriff offering to ride to the city's rescue, the governor's comments about Chicago violence made news around the world.

It certainly won't help Mayor Richard M. Daley's effort to bring the 2016 Olympics to town. Some close to Daley thought the governor was sending the mayor a message: stop blaming Blagojevich publicly for deadlock at the state capitol.

"It's the Hatfields and McCoys, you know that. There's a lack of trust," Daley said Tuesday. "Last year, the governor took all money away from Democratic legislators. He said, 'I don't like you any more!' And he took all the money away."

Supt. Weis says he would accept help from the Illinois State Police at his news conference Thursday afternoon. He chose to ignore the political infighting, and to tell the governor, "We'll use whatever help you send."

Exactly what that help could be is not yet clear, though state police officials and Weis planned to follow up.

CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports that in the south side's Washington Park neighborhood, the governor's remedy sounded good to some crime-weary residents.

"It's pathetic what's going on in the streets and we need all the help we can get," said resident Michael Woods. "I would be all for it."

"What the governor wants to do, if he wants to try it, that would be great," said resident Pamela Farland. "Just try something. But I don't think there's enough policemen out here, no I don't."

"Blago's crazy if he thinks putting the National Guard in neighborhoods will help anything," said resident Carl Williams. "It won't help, it will hurt."

Jody Weis said he'd gladly accept help from state troopers, especially using their expertise in tracing guns.

Weis says the state police once had a gun trafficking squad, working with Chicago cops, but it was disbanded before he arrived.

So what do you think? Should state police be sent to the city to fight crime? Click on the link at the top of the home page and let us know.

CBS 2's Mike Flannery and Derrick Blakley contributed to this report.

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