Page 52 - September 2019 FOP Newsletter

Strategic move: Third District officer connects through chess
■ BY ERIKA WURST
When he’s out patrolling one of the most dangerous blocks in Chicago’s Third District, Intelligence Officer Regan Allen knows that his presence alone often is enough to deter crime.
Whether he’s hanging on a street corner or talking to shop owners, O Block loiterers and gangsters see Allen and scurry along.
“People leave when they see my car be- cause they know I’m going to challenge them,” Allen said. And in some cases, the challenge isn’t expected to be a good one.
It certainly wasn’t what two chess play- ers, gathered at 63rd Street and King Drive, were expecting when Allen approached them last month. The pair thought that the officer was going to shoo them along.
Instead, with a smile, Allen approached the men, who were using empty crates and cardboard as a makeshift table to hold their chessboard. “I said, ‘Man, you guys are act- ing like you can play chess,’” Allen said with a laugh. “From there, the challenge was on.”
Not only was this a perfect opportunity
to reach out to residents, but it also let him make his presence known in a neighbor- hood where it’s most needed.
Allen played against both men, who were shocked that instead of a confronta- tion, they got competition from a surpris- ing contender.
“They said, ‘Man, officers don’t usually talk to us and do stuff with us like this,’” Allen said. “There’s this divide between us as officers and the community. Once they
start talking to you, they realize, ‘Damn, you’re a person, too.’”
The small gesture opened a line of com- munication between Allen and the two men, who are hoping to plan a chess day in the neighborhood.
“We want it to be a positive loitering thing,” Allen said. “Guns down. Let’s play some chess. Whether you’re playing chess or just standing on the street corner, that’s where conversations start.”
52 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2019