20th District Council Agenda

Anna Rubin – Chair

An organizer with the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Rubin has worked to pass policies around immigration and economic justice issues. She says she’s “committed to listening to what our communities need and bringing those ideas forward as concrete policy and funding proposals.” Rubin is running in a slate with Deirdre O’Connor and Darrell Dacres. Alderperson Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and the ONE People’s Campaign have endorsed the slate.

• Is CPD adequately funded? Yes: funding should be reduced.

• CPD reform: The police should be defunded or abolished.

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Establishing civilian control of the police department

Communicating with the department on behalf of the community

Why are you running for Police District Council?

While working at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, I’ve had the opportunity to see the incredible work that GAPA, CPAC, and ECPS coalition partners put in to get this ordinance passed. I want to fill this position as someone committed to listening to what our communities need and bringing those ideas forward as concrete policy and funding proposals.

I feel relatively safe when it comes to interacting with Chicago police officers, and I feel ready to use my feeling of relative safety to interact with the police and related agencies to provide community perspective. I want to live in a city where I know not only I am safe, but my friends and neighbors are safe no matter their identities or experiences.

Darrell Dacres – Nominating Committee

The program manager for ONE Northside’s Communities Partnering for Peace program in Rogers Park and Uptown, Dacres has worked in violence prevention since 2012, when his friend was killed and he was wounded in a shooting. Dacres is running in a slate with Deirdre O’Connor and Anna Rubin. Alderperson Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and the ONE People’s Campaign have endorsed the slate.

• Is CPD adequately funded? Yes: funding should be reduced.

• CPD reform: The police need significant reform.

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Communicating with the department on behalf of the community

Why are you running for Police District Council?

In my community, I’m the voice of people who feel they don’t have one.

Deirdre O’Connor – Community Engagement

O’Connor served as a precinct captain for 15 years and did election campaign work for 40th ward alderperson Andre Vasquez. She says, “We are in a special position to reimagine the notion of policing by the community, for the community.” O’Connor is running in a slate with Darrell Dacres and Anna Rubin. Alderperson Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and the ONE People’s Campaign have endorsed the slate.

• Is CPD adequately funded? Yes: funding should be reduced.

• CPD reform: The police need significant reform.

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Establishing civilian control of the police department

Why are you running for Police District Council?

I am deeply rooted and committed to making my community more engaged and inclusive. As someone who grew up in Chicago, I have seen firsthand the strain between communities and police. As I have spent time canvassing, I know that public safety is the most asked-about issue at the doors. I know that in the 20th District neighbors are concerned about the increased criminal activity and understand the urgency for systemic change.

I also know that there are neighbors that believe we need more police on the streets. I am running to help communicate to neighbors the real-time facts of the crime statistics, and the breakdown in communication between what we see in the media and what is occurring in the neighborhoods. In turn, I hope to work to break the stereotypes and racially charged language that surrounds public safety. I believe we are in a unique position to help reshape our idea of policing from the community for the community.

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