CNN reported on April 26, 2010, that a "violent crime wave in Chicago" has prompted calls for the National Guard to step in. Two Illinois law makers are urging IL State Governor Pat Quinn to deploy troops following a recent surge in violent crime. Unfortunately, the National Guard, outside of Military Police, are not trained for doing police work -- they are not versed in domestic law enforcement, and are not a good fit. Yet it is interesting to observe that for all the publicly voiced opinions that no crime wave exists, that there are some experiencing acute pain from this economic downturn that they attribute to the conditions giving rise to a crime wave. A violent crime wave in Chicago prompts a call for the National Guard to step in. Two Illinois lawmakers, State Reprepresentatives John Fritchey (D) and LaShawn Ford (D), are urging Governor Pat Quinn to deploy troops following a recent surge in violent crime. "We're not talking about rolling tanks down the street," said Fritchey. "If we bring them in to fill sand bags and pick up tornado debris, we can bring them in to save lives."
While they may believe the Guard is the solution, Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis disagrees. Weis says the Guard's military training falls short of the criminal laws and procedures that police must follow in combating crime. “I’m not that mixing the National Guard with local law enforcement is the solution," Weis said.
We want to hear from you. Tell us whether you think the National Guard should be called in to help combat the city’s recent crime wave.
Leave us a comment. We’ll share some of them on air in the CNN Newsroom, 11am – 1pm ET
