Honoring Michael Bailey, One Of Our Own City residents mourn, summon strength, call for unity

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At a sundown prayer vigil last Wednesday, Chicago residents, members of the Park Manor community, and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) gathered to mourn, to honor and celebrate the life of police officer Michael Bailey. Baileys funeral was held Friday at St. Sabinas Catholic Church. Officer Bailey died in an attempted robbery on the morning of Sunday, July 18 in front of his Park Manor home while cleaning his car. Hed just returned from his overnight post guarding Mayor Daleys home. He was still wearing his uniform.

Bailey and the assailant(s) exchanged fire and he was fatally injured. The 62 year-old Bailey, was going to retire in August. Bailey, a great father and friend, according to family spokeswoman Stephanie Tatum, was also Vice President of the 74th and Evans Block Club. Speakers talked of Baileys dedication to his family, to his community. As they spoke of his life, they also spoke of their frustrations and the need to move forward, to come together and transform the community, their lives.

We will not be scared, said Darlene Tribue, President of the Park Manor Neighbors Community Council before a crowd of residents, ministers, officers and local officials at the intersection of 74th and Evans. We stand strong as one Park ManorShare yourself outwardly, love, show forgivenesshelp repair the cracks in our village. I am very angry about what causes us to be here, said Freddrenna Lyle, Alderman of the 6th Ward, also home to slain police officer and Iraq veteran Thomas Wortham IV. Lylestood amidst the crowd just a few feet from Henry O. Tanner Elementary School. I went to Tanner, she said, adding that shed walk to school and back every day without fear of any harassment. They had gangs, she clarified, but they werent taking our babies and seniorsbecause they had respectthey were a part of the community somethings changed. Park Manor has to contend with this change. We go through so much turmoilto change, Tribue said, adding that she hopes this can be a time to heal, rise up, thrive and grow in the great city of Chicago. Park Manor stretches north to south from State Street to Cottage Grove and east to west from 67th to 79th, encompassing about four square miles. Residents have been in Park Manor for 65 years, according to Tribue. We had to fight to come in here and were going to fight to stay here, she said. That fight requires courage and unity. If we can quite finger pointing, we can point the shooters out, said activist Andrew Holmes.

The reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer(s) of Officer Bailey was up to $65,000, Weis sad at the vigil. The Fraternal Order of Police Chicago is offering $25,000 and urges anyone with information to call Area 2 Detectives at 312-747- 8272. We dont care if the motivation is reward money, good citizenship or whatever. Just please let us get these criminals off the street. If they kill a police officer, the question comes up, Whos next? Weis said at a press conference last week. Bailey was the third officer killed since May. CPD has received calls threatening the lives of police officers, United Press International (UPI) reports. The threats, according to UPI, have been toward officers patrolling the Chatham community, where both Bailey and Wortham were residents. Weis said CPD takes the threats seriously but hasnt found them to be credible, UPI reports.

Baileys death and the treats came just weeks after the citys new handgun ordinance, which went into effect July 12. The ordinance requires that residents who own a firearm(s) or are looking to purchase a firearm(s) fill out an application for a Chicago Firearm Permit (CFP), necessary for legally registering a firearm. Visit www.chicagopolice.org for more details. In order to truly transform the city, to ensure the safety of its residents, it will take efforts on the part of police, public officials and residentsthe entire community. We have to bring the people responsible for this to justice, said Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis. As a community we can overcome this.

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