Mayor Emanuel Denounces Street Gangs, Promotes Public-Safety Agenda

By Chip Mitchell
chicago gangs funeral
Flowers, a stuffed bear and other mementos cover the casket of 7-year-old Amari Brown at the Oakridge-Glen Oak cemetery in Hillside, Ill., on Saturday, July 11, 2015. Police say Amari was celebrating July 4 at his father's home on Chicago's West Side when someone opened fire. Police Chief Garry McCarthy says the shot that killed the boy was intended for his father, a "ranking gang member." Christian K. Lee/AP
chicago gangs funeral
Flowers, a stuffed bear and other mementos cover the casket of 7-year-old Amari Brown at the Oakridge-Glen Oak cemetery in Hillside, Ill., on Saturday, July 11, 2015. Police say Amari was celebrating July 4 at his father's home on Chicago's West Side when someone opened fire. Police Chief Garry McCarthy says the shot that killed the boy was intended for his father, a "ranking gang member." Christian K. Lee/AP

Mayor Emanuel Denounces Street Gangs, Promotes Public-Safety Agenda

By Chip Mitchell
WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is denouncing street gangs as he promotes his public-safety agenda. But he’s denouncing them by name. And that has its dangers. Meena Harris of the federal government’s National Gang Center says naming gangs can add to their credibility and cachet. Harris says it can also have an upside. It can unite a community around a shared strategy for attacking the problem. WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell reports.