Page 52 - FOP August 2021

More than just a day in
the neighborhood in 25th District
Chicago Police Officers understand why police-community relationships are so important.
As part of a continued effort to build trust with communi- ty members, the 25th District has formed the Meet the Block initiative. The program has allowed officers to have a dialogue with the residents through charitable acts of kindness and face- to-face interactions. The acts of goodwill the 025 officers have performed include passing out safety tips and information, de- livering pallets of food and snowplowing the sidewalks.
“We’re choosing blocks that really need our help, blocks that have had a spike in crime recently or maybe have had a sin- gular crime that has sent shock waves throughout the neigh- borhood,” explained 25th District CAPS Officer Rupert Medina. “So, we come out and support them and give the community the resources they need, flooding them with some peace and some love. We’re here trying to make their block safer, and a lot of times the local residents give us information they probably wouldn’t have given us otherwise.”
The 25th District created the Meet the Block program as a weekly initiative that takes place every Thursday. The officers are given the locations where they will concentrate their efforts for the day, which includes delivering groceries that are collect- ed at the Grace and Peace Church and Community Center.
As Medina added, “Unfortunately, a lot of the areas we visit are poor areas, so the need for resources is there. You can tell we’re really making a positive difference in these people’s lives.”
The Meet the Block initiative has been met with an over- whelming amount of support from the local Chicago residents. “We enjoy talking to officers and getting to know them as
people, not just as law enforcement. The good acts of service they are doing are just heartwarming, to say the least,” said Chicago resident Leonel Hernandez. “They really show us they care, and they just want to make sure their local community is safe and protected. I’m glad they created this program, because it has just brought about so much positivity in times where we really need it.”
52 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2021