CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT ON GANG DATABASE POLICY DRAFT

Founder of Violence Interrupters, Tio Hardiman, recently hosted a press conference to discuss the ways he has been working to reduce violence in Chicago and to share his thoughts on the Chicago Police Department’s Criminal Enterprise Database, also known as the Gang Database. Photo Credit: Violence Interrupters
Founder of Violence Interrupters, Tio Hardiman, recently hosted a press conference to discuss the ways he has been working to reduce violence in Chicago and to share his thoughts on the Chicago Police Department’s Criminal Enterprise Database, also known as the Gang Database. Photo Credit: Violence Interrupters

Chicago Police Department Now Accepting Public Comment On Gang Database Policy Draft

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) recently opened up a portal on their website for Chicagoans to give feedback on the Criminal Enterprise Database, also known as the Gang Database. This public comment period will close on May 11 and at that time, the CPD will consider the public comments before finalizing and implementing the updated policy.

CPD describes the Criminal Enterprise Database as “an intelligence tool that CPD members will use to input and access information about criminal street gangs. This intelligence system will include updated and vetted information about current criminal street gang membership and affiliation.”

In addition to the full policy draft, CPD has also posted a document on their website that includes frequently asked questions regarding the Criminal Enterprise Database and explains how information is added, who can access the information, how the information is used by law enforcement, how to find out if you or your child are in the database, and how to petition to have yourself or your child removed from the database.

The Frequently Asked Questions document states that “CPD members can

only use information in the system while performing their official law enforcement duties, and following required training. CPD personnel will utilize the Criminal Enterprise Database to aid in overall gang crime reduction and suppression.”

One long-time Chicago activist, Tio Hardiman, recently held a press conference along with other community organizers and residents to provide his own assessment of CPD’s Criminal Enterprise Database which Hardiman claims is flawed. Following the press conference, Hardiman led a Restorative Justice Peace Circle with dozens of young adults.

Hardiman is the founder of Violence Interrupters which is a nonprofit organization that focuses on high-level gang mediation and preventing retaliation violence in Chicago.

“The main goal of Violence Interrupters is to change mindsets and behaviors associated with violence, to mediate conflicts in select communities throughout Chicago, and to bring young men and women to the table of peace,” said Hardiman.

The organization works with people that are at the greatest risk of being victims or perpetrators of violent crime and helps them learn how to resolve conflict through communication rather than violence.

“The Violence Interrupters have already mediated about 24 conflicts this year that could have turned deadly. But we brought young men to the table before they fired their guns and I’m grateful. I’m happy to announce that about 24 lives were saved based on our intervention,” said Hardiman.

During the press conference, Hardiman spoke about his success with decreasing violent crime in Chicago through the work of Violence Interrupters and said that he believes “the Gang Database should be completed abolished.”

The Chicago Police Department did not return requests for comment by press time but citizens can learn more about the Criminal Enterprise Database, review the current policy draft, and give feedback at www.chicagopolice.org.

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