Robin Robinson Discusses New Appointment with CPD

Veteran newscaster Robin Robinson will serve as adviser to Chicago Police Superintendent Johnson on community affairs. Photo courtesy of Robin Robinson
Veteran newscaster Robin Robinson will serve as adviser to Chicago Police Superintendent Johnson on community affairs. Photo courtesy of Robin Robinson

Robin Robinson Discusses New Appointment with CPD

By Monique Smith

Since the release of the LaQuan McDonald video and others like it revealing egregious acts of police misconduct, the Chicago Police Department has been fighting an uphill battle to restore not only the trust of the citizens they are sworn to protect, but to erase a long standing public image of racism and abuse of power exhibited by officers. To help build relationships in Chicago’s neighborhoods with the police, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has hired veteran newscaster Robin Robinson as his special adviser to the superintendent on community affairs. The Citizen sat down with Robinson recently to discuss her new role.

The Chicago Citizen Newspaper: The Special Adviser to the Superintendent of Community Affairs is a new position created by CPD to help with their less than stellar public image and all other public relations issues that occur with CPD. With literally just a few days on the job what is your role and responsibilities in this position? Robin Robinson: “My responsibility in this role is to act as liaison between the community and the Chicago Police Department. I will serve as a departmental spokesperson and I will work with the community affairs superintendent to engage people and help to create or foster better relationships between the community and police.” The Chicago Citizen Newspaper: What are your plans to increase community involvement and restore good will relations between CPD and the Black or brown communities they work in? Robin Robinson: “I want to add value to the current programs that CPD already has in place. You know they have CAPS (Community Alternative Policing Strategy) Peer Court, Anti-drug and AntiGun initiatives, things like that. More importantly, I want to engage the entire city because the reputation of the police and criminal activity is not just one communities’ problem, it’s a problem for the entire city and we have to get all people involved. The idea that there is a tale of two Chicago’s is very real, I’ve seen it. I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve lived, worked and socialized all over the city of Chicago, in neighborhoods that are more affluent than others. The people that live in those areas of Chicago think that just because this happened in another neighborhood, it doesn’t affect them, but it does and I need to convey to them that it does. In some cases, people sometimes feel overwhelmed by the problem, but want to help and don’t know how.” The Chicago Citizen Newspaper: As a broadcaster who’s worked and anchored at WFLD Fox 32 for more than 27 years and most recently at CBS Radio News , how does that experience in the media help you in this position? Robin Robinson: “I think people trust me. I report the facts, I’ve always been truthful and I tell it like it is. The comradery I have with my viewers and listeners over the years helps to erode some of the mistrust they may feel when speaking or working with the police. You know, the police and members of the community ironically have the same issue; they are both stereotyped. The community has a fear of the police coming in and doing harm to them and the police often have the same fear. While you have bad representatives on both sides, it’s not a complete representation of the whole body. You have a few bad people in the community just as you may have bad cops in the department. The Chicago Citizen Newspaper: In your opinion what needs to happen to curb the violence here in Chicago? Robin Robinson: “We need to understand the root of it, it’s race based, it is a symptom of a much larger problem. We also can’t expect all the help to come from outside the community. People need to be accountable for what happens in their communities and we need to look at the inequality of resources. The violence in the city gets our attention because people die and often innocent people, but we also have to look at where the disparities come from and what that creates. But I never consider things hopeless.” The Chicago Citizen Newspaper: In wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, FL where 49 victims were killed, the gunman and just as many injured, what is your view on the use or purchase of specifically assault weapons by anyone other than police or military personnel?

Robin Robinson: I believe that people who use guns to resolve conflict are the kind of people who would without a gun or knife would just gnaw you to death, those are people who want to do harm. I don’t see the purpose of anyone owning an assault weapon.

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