Chicago Alderwoman To Stop Sending Crime Alerts to Constituents in the Name of ‘Antiracism’

As shootings, robberies, and sex crimes at Chicago’s North Side ward shoot to the highest levels in decades, one alderwoman from the area is saying she will stop sharing crime alerts because of her commitment to “antiracism.” Alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth of the 48th ward announced on her blog last week that she will no longer post crime alerts on social media or send crime alerts to her constituent email list. Those who wish to receive crime updates via email will have to “opt in” to the newsletter subscription she writes going forward. The decision reflects “feedback from our neighbors and commitment to our values of empowerment, antiracism, and community,” Ms. Manaa-Hoppenworth noted when announcing the measure. Before sending an emergency alert, her team will go through various checks to ensure that “we’re not contributing to the problems that can arise from the overreporting and amplification of crime.” Those checks include asking questions like, “Do we have new and/or actionable information? Will people be seeking reassurance from our office in regards to this incident?” and “Would an emergency alert make our community safer?” Only then will her team decide whether or not to send out an emergency alert. This new system, Ms. Manaa-Hoppenworth says, is informed by research that shows “how overreporting of crime leads to an inaccurate public perception about crime rates” and that “overreporting of crime negatively impacts our most marginalized and underserved neighbors.” She also notes that subscribing to crime alert notifications “does not guarantee that you will receive an alert for every instance of crime in the ward.” Rather, the team will “continue to send alerts based on the questions and research above and the capacity of our team.” The decision comes just days after Chicago experienced a bloody Memorial Day Weekend in which 41 people were shot, nine fatally, including a 5-year-old girl sitting in a parked car. On a larger scale, instances of robberies and sex crimes at the 48th ward of Chicago, Ms. Manaa-Hoppenworth’s jurisdiction, have been on the rise. As of mid-May, robbery reports were up nearly 80 percent from the same time frame last year and shooting incidents clocked in at the highest level since 2015, according to official Chicago data. One local Chicago paper has responded by offering up its own daily crime newsletter to anyone who wishes to remain in the loop. “Unlike Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth, we won’t hide the truth,” CWBChicago writes. Ms. Manaa-Hoppenworth has not yet responded to the Sun’s request for comment.

Chicago Alderwoman To Stop Sending Crime Alerts to Constituents in the Name of ‘Antiracism’

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