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According to WGN News, working in packs of up to seven individuals,
the groups’ aim to be out and about in the early hours of the
morning as part of a plan to help protect some of the community’s
most vulnerable workers as the attacks against them grow more
common.
Over the period in question, Rafael Dominguez said he has been
robbed twice, both times at gunpoint.
“The first time was a gun,” he told WGN. “The second time was a
rifle. People coming and robbing vendors, we need more patrols.”
Little Village Park President Mercedes Alvarez is at the center of
the movement to keep vendors safe. On one recent morning, she was
out making the rounds before daybreak, checking in with businesses
and knocking on doors to make sure everything was running as it
should be.
The Chicago Police Department also is keeping close watch, recently
releasing a statement where they said “to address the recent
incidents targeting the street vendor community in the 10th
District, we have placed special attention and additional visibility
in the affected areas. We will continue to adjust resources as
necessary as we work to combat these crimes.”
As another one of the citizen patrol members, Angel Valdes said he’s
convinced the group is making a difference in keeping the community
safe.
“What I do is drive by, blow the horn and let them know I’m here,”
he told WGN. “And they feel more comfortable.”
At the same time, current 22nd Ward Alderman Michael Rodriguez said
he will continue to work with CPD in an effort to increase patrols
in the neighborhood, especially during the early morning hours when
most street vendors are out.
“We’ve worked hard with the uptick here since November,” he told
WGN. “You know one robbery is too many. We are going to keep working
until it doesn’t exist in our community.”
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