Newsletter: Crime Is Up On The L, And Arrests Are Down

CTA
Reports of serious train-related crimes have doubled since 2015, reports the Chicago Tribune. Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press
CTA
Reports of serious train-related crimes have doubled since 2015, reports the Chicago Tribune. Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press

Newsletter: Crime Is Up On The L, And Arrests Are Down

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Hey there! It’s Thursday. And I had my performance review today . Here’s what you need to know. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)


1. Crime is up on the L despite surveillance cameras

That’s according to an analysis from the Chicago Tribune, which found reports of serious crimes on trains, platforms and stations have doubled since 2015. Last year, there were 2,371 reported crimes, compared to 1,187 in 2015, the Trib reports.

To make matters worse, the arrest rates for train-related crimes have dropped, meaning there’s a good chance someone got away with committing a crime. Arrests for violent crimes was 1 in 6 cases last year. For nonviolent crimes, only 1 in 50 cases saw an arrest.

The trends come as the Chicago Transit Authority invested heavily in cameras aimed at deterring crime. [Chicago Tribune]

2. The Illinois Tollway shares your info

A WBEZ investigation found data collected by the tollway from I-Pass customers can be easily accessed by law enforcement authorities and even private attorneys, raising alarms from privacy advocates and defense attorneys.

Among the data collected are cellphone numbers, credit card information, email addresses and license plates. Information obtained from I-Pass users can only be accessed through a court-enforced request, like subpoenas.

One defense attorney argued that authorities can use the tollway information as a way to skirt a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that generally requires police to obtain a warrant in order to track someone’s location through their cellphone.

In addition to cops, divorce attorneys can also access the information. One veteran attorney said the tollway has a “treasure trove” of information that is an “an underutilized tool to really surveil someone.” [WBEZ]

3. Which foreign leader did Trump allegedly make a “promise” to?

A whistleblower says President Donald Trump made a “promise” to a foreign leader that was so problematic they filed a formal complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, according to The Washington Post.

The inspector general determined the complaint is credible and considers it a matter of “urgent concern,” a designation that would require notifying some members of Congress.

But the acting head of national security is refusing to give the complaint to lawmakers, setting up yet another showdown over information between the Democrat-led House and the White House.

The identity of the world leader and details of the alleged promise remain unknown.

But the timing of the complaint may offer some clues. It was filed on Aug. 12. White House records show that before that time, Trump either talked to or had interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the prime minister of Pakistan, the prime minister of the Netherlands and the emir of Qatar. [Washington Post]

4. Chicago hospital prepares for nurses’ strike

About 2,200 nurses are expected to walk off the job tomorrow after negotiations broke down between their union and the University of Chicago Medical Center, one of the area’s largest hospitals.

To prepare for the strike, hospital leaders have moved some babies and children in intensive care units to other hospitals. The hospital is also asking ambulances to take patients to other hospitals when possible.

The strike is scheduled for one day, but the nurses were told not to come back for five days because temporary nurses have been contracted to fill in during that time. [Chicago Tribune]

5. Lake County drops murder charges against Chicago teens

Lake County’s top prosecutor made headlines last month when he made the controversial decision to charge five teens with murder after a friend was killed during an alleged burglary.

Today, Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim announced he is dropping the murder cases and instead charged them with lesser crimes.

The teens, known as the “Lake County Five,” were arrested last month after a homeowner confronted them in his driveway. The homeowner told police he fired a weapon when one of the teens approached him with something in his hand. Authorities said they found a knife on the driveway. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s reelection campaign is rocked by revelations he dressed in brownface and blackface. [NPR]

  • More than 2,200 fetal remains were stacked in boxes in a garage, Will County officials say. [WBEZ]

  • Three Chicago officers and a sergeant who were fired for allegedly lying about the Laquan McDonald shooting are suing to get their jobs back. [Chicago Sun-Times]

  • North American lost around 3 billion birds, scientists say. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

Well, it’s finally coming up. The much talked about “Storm Area 51” event begins tomorrow.

The whole thing started on Facebook, and more than 2 million people say they plan on running toward the secretive military facility to “see them aliens,” as the event page says.

Local leaders have made emergency declarations, fearing there won’t be enough food, water and toilets for the millions that could show up. Other locals are wondering if that many people will show up or if the internet joke will turn out to be a dud. [AP]

Meanwhile, the Navy is trying to rebrand UFOs, and a former member of the band Blink 182 has something to do with it. [Washington Post]

Tell me something good …

What games do you enjoy playing, either board games or video games or anything else?

Rachel Ellsworth writes:

“My absolute favorite game is Twilight Imperium. It’s a galactic conquest tabletop game that has approximately 500 miniatures and takes 8+ hours to play. It has great lore, beautiful artwork, and multiple strategies for victory depending on your play-style. If you like to maneuver politically, you can do that. If you like to focus on trade, you can do that. If you’re more the attack-everyone-into-submission type, you can do that too. It’s been around for decades but the fourth edition that came out a year or two back turned a finicky good game into a great one with finesse.”

And Regina writes:

“I love Monopoly, the board version — but has anyone ever finished the game? After a few hours, we always quit. I also love card games. Yes, I’m a dinosaur but at least a social one!”

What are your favorite games? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

Have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow. And if you like what you just read, you can subscribe to the newsletter here and have it delivered to your inbox.