by Vice chair yansi hearing no objections. So ordered
Uh, we have 1 matter to attend to today. Um, and before we
do, we have some public speakers that registered in a
timely fashion. We will call the first public speaker Mr.
Charles Spence.
Morning committee. Thank you for this opportunity to speak.
I am here today.
Asking this committee to author, an ordinance. Obtaining an
outlining the use of surveillance drones by the Chicago
Police Department.
I am here today because last year, I asked a different
committee 3 times in a 6-month period to do the same.
And yet the CPD drone teams. Still consists of only 5
drones and 5 officers.
I provided ample justification and substantial argument for
their use and yet the CPD drone team. Still consists of
only 5 drones and 5 officers.
In 2023, the governor signed a bill allowing their use, the
FAA, has a public safety and a law enforcement toolkit to
Aid in their use.
Us attorney general, provided 78 million in grant money for
violence. Prevention, the police, commissioner supports
this and wants this.
In 2024, the city spent 23 million for 3 Bell helicopters.
For a mere 1% of that.
The city could buy a drone for each of the 22 police
districts.
In 2024, the city spent 230 million dollars on police
overtime.
0.1% of that.
The city could buy a drone for each of the 22 police
districts.
Of course, all of you already know this. So why am I saying
it?
Because the CPD drone team. Still consists of only 5 drones
and 5 officers.
Something else. Everybody here already knows. Everybody
already knows this. If the right people want something
done, it gets done.
Migs field.
Tier 2, pension.
Pedro Martinez.
So who's the right person for this? You are committee you
and your city council colleagues.
On July 8th. The mayor responded to the July 4th weekend,
violence, with the words. This is enough. I will not stand
idly by
On October 30th, that up and stated. It is important that
the law enforcement Community has all the tools it needs in
order to provide the type of Safety and Security Chicago
deserves
Amen.
The benefits of drones use are numerous the need for them
is obvious committee. Hold the mayor to his word and create
an ordinance obtaining drones for, and authorizing their
use in each Police District in the city of Chicago.
Please.
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Terry gnome.
Hi, thank you for your time. My name is Terry Newsome. I'm
an elected committee man from Downers Grove Township. I
host a podcast called Behind Enemy Lines and I'm with the
save Illinois, Coalition. Why am I here? I'm here. Because
Chicago's welcoming city ordinance, this ordinance, the way
it's written in. Its current form is not only dangerous to
the citizens of Chicago, but it's a problem for the entire
Chicago land area.
It's not a Democrat. It's not a republican independent
black white, or Hispanic wealthy, or low-income problem.
It's an American problem.
Wanting a safe Community. For our families isn't racist or
anti-immigration stance. My grandparents, came to America
from Italy. We can Embrace legal immigrants while deporting
criminal illegal immigrants, who put all of us at risk
Those at the most significant risk are minorities law
enforcement and First Responders we've been lied to for
years claiming that illegal immigrants flooding Chicago
engaged in fewer crimes than our citizens, that's an
absolute line of insult to our intelligence. I have
evidence to support my claims. I gathered dozens of foyers
from CPD to show the contrary in every shelter, I required
requested CPD, foyers. I've received hundreds of violent
despicable crimes that came from Within These shelters or
from those who use those shelters as addresses inside these
shelters, there's evidence of terrorists. Sex trafficking
child, pronography child, grooming sexual assault of
minors, murder mass shootings, gang crimes guns, stolen
vehicles, prostitution drug dealing and much more 1 of the
most. Common crimes is spousal abuse.
These men beat the crap out of their women. They strangle
them, they punched them in in the face. They hit them with
the vortex phone. They dragged them by their hair. They cut
their, they cut their their faces with knives and other
weapons. They even beat their children to retaliate against
their wives.
The sponsor of abuse became so significant such a
significant problem. I acquired a foyer where Catholic
Charities sent an email to the city of Chicago informing
them that they had to reopen a shelter to house the growing
number of Abused Women and Children.
I want the administration to explain why if these
immigrants create less crime than us? Why are they required
to go through multiple layers of security before entering
their shelters? I was at Gage Park Standard Club, in of
Chicago, Little Village 72nd and Cicero and others where I
confronted trendal, Argo arrogantly and boldly flashing
their gain signs. Why require innocent Asylum? Seekers to
pass through metal detectors, handheld security ones,
multiple guarder World security, guards back searches. If
these people commit so little crime, why do such an
intensive security screening process, why is it required to
make matters? Worse. We taxpayers are funding our own
demise. We fund the transportation housing food, clothing,
medical credit cards, utilities free, impounded cars. I
learned from a police officer, uh, and much more
including the tax funded Vortex phones, which they use fake
identities to commit crimes against our community. I urge
the city to amend Chicago's welcoming city ordinance to
prioritize American citizens.
Our next speaker is Taiwan Sims.
uh, Taiwan Sims
All right, me they say that. Um, so
in the world you need 3, things Communications
Vehicles.
And the base.
We've given these occupies all those things.
We've given them communication as you hear from Mr. Gnome
We've given them vehicles and we've given them a base and
we fund this as Americans.
We've been funding this since 2022. This occupation is
destabilization of our country.
And that's
the representatives wrestling with me and violate my
constitutional, right?
How to give every Liberty to these individuals who are
reason?
And now, our Mayors went so far as to call it's not a
sanctuary but a welcoming City, what are we welcoming?
What if we welcomed in our Public Safety? You being the
chairman of it and as we spoke last week, our detailed
countless murders.
Of Americans that have taken place.
Children that have been kidnapped.
Women abused.
Not at the behest of Americans though, these aren't
Americans.
But these people aren't charged criminally.
Prosecuted in any way.
Or jailed. They're simply giving a ticket.
And allowed to be, let go.
And this has been the practice of the Macho.
But I'm violated my constitutional right to speak or appeal
to the representatives of ours in regards to these things.
It's violated. But what reason?
I like to know.
I like to know how the American first ideology.
Has been so eroded.
And now we Embrace criminals.
And the criminal ideology. I like to know that also
I like to know what we stand as a community or as a city.
The annoyance, the Chicagoans.
I like to know that I like to know that we have Public
Safety, but it's been so eroded.
they play structures up, but in 2024,
But, what reason?
Because it does not benefited the Chicago in nor the
American, it is benefited. The people that commit the
criminal crime
Trendy Iraq War.
A whole group of people who just got here, started a whole
new instance of bull crap in our city and we can't stand up
to it. Larry Snelling is told to stand down,
But there's 2 forces now, I believe.
In the CPD.
1. That represents the people and 1 that represents
criminality.
And we have 2 superintendents 1 in John Cotton, Zara and 1
in Larry snailing.
And so we asked as Americans who do we lean towards?
And when the lawlessness truly hits, who would, who do we
go to do? We call the police, can we call the police Mr?
Starks
Next speaker is George Blakemore.
Okay.
For me, even though that clock, say 3 minutes, this man up
here manipulate this this clock anyway, race shift.
Racism and Hopkin over your your word. You had that. Shout
finally got rid of them. All y'all made a lot, y'all make a
lot of money off these illegal immigrants.
and you're treating your wife constituents, like, in
That man say, well, how can we have more of a a meeting at
the same time? I say, I say you're a white man. Don't allow
them to do that.
And you too. You're a white man, sir.
Don't lie to treat you like a in.
Don't allow them to treat you like an in.
Your white face bring privilege.
My black face brings misery and pain.
We have 2 different history of. I come from a slave
background brought over here.
Abuse over here.
And if e n**** immigrants are coming in and getting job,
good contracting service and getting things that that I
can't get.
And Black Faces in high places are lying bad.
All bad ultimates and and Commissioners.
They are lying that. Why do you think they're doing that
Mr? Blakemore sell out.
Angel mama.
House in the plantation, the white Master made a true in.
And we hate ourselves. We the hate our nappy hair. Our
African features a big lift and our black booty hole.
We have been engineered in to hating ourselves.
So, it's easy to say, but it's hard to do to pair you.
Black people yourself of enslavement project.
Get over it, God made you, you are somebody, you're
beautiful, you're smart, you're Innovative. You're all of
these things but the evil person came from Europe. When,
well at your darkest time, you did not embrace the new
technology and they had the guns and gunpowder and they
enslaved you
And you have a slave mentality and I always say for Trump to
come here to clean this Democratic swamp up. Yes, you steal
my minute. You have stole all soul. I look back and wonder
how we can get over.
How we gonna get over the legacy of slavery.
but you give these illegal immigrants, everything housing
Jobs. And that's why man say they criminals too, you let
them in
and what do the black man? Get nothing. He get peed on and
do the wrong.
Uh, next speaker is Jessica Jackson.
Over there.
So, um, I know that I cannot come past this brown rail.
To approach any Alderman down there. So I called for you
Brian Hopkins, from my seat, and I know that you heard me.
But I guess because my skin color is not right?
You chose to abuse your discretion?
To ignore me.
But if I would have came past this brown rail to get your
attention.
The sergeant-at-arms and the police and stuff when it came
and got me. But you had a privilege of sitting there and
ignoring me when you heard me calling to you.
But this is why.
We're coming for y'all's seats.
Now, you can think that that doesn't mean anything, but we
already know that.
That we know better, we know better.
Just like you all can act like because the federal
government is getting ready to change in a few days that it
don't matter.
But again, we know better. We know better.
So now you all are going to stand behind mayor, Brandon
Johnson talking about how he's going to double down on
making this a welcome in City.
The city is already lost.
tons and tons of money that you all refused to give a real
accounting for,
but yet you all going to stand behind this knucklehead.
Show 1, part 1 part.
Of having all these illegal immigrants over here, that the
city or the country at large has been benefited from 1
Thing named 1 Thing.
That the city county or the United States of America.
Has benefited from all these illegal immigrants, spend over
here like this.
You all don't care about our safety. You all don't care
about our rights. You all don't care about our real estate
being stolen.
You all don't care about anything that has to do with the
United States of America citizens. You all are so focused
on illegal immigrants. That's mean Yancey who suddenly
became a Haitian after he got in on the black vote.
We going to come for your seat. So vigorously Desmond. Yes.
See that you going to turn back black Negro.
You hear me? You're done. So yeah. You are go. Get them
Hastings. You're done. You're done. Don't Smack if you want
to, but you're done. Full.
Uh, the next item on the agenda is approval of the October
24 rule, 45 report, Vice chair. Jansy uh moves approval
here, hearing no objection. Uh, that's the order, the, uh,
purpose for this meeting today is uh, it's actually a
significant, uh, reason. Uh, we need to oh, uh, please, uh,
let Alderman Curtis be added to the attendance roll. Call
for Quorum, uh, we need to have this hearing in order to,
uh, preserve our grant viability, um, for uh, disaster
mitigation money that we get from the federal government.
Uh, pursuant to resolution 1 142113 adoption of the Cook
County multi-jurisdictional, Hazard mitigation plan and
Associated City. Annex for the 2024 through 2029 planning
cycle. Uh, and here to discuss that mitigation plan is Mr.
Matthew dowy Matthew,
Good morning, chairman Hopkins, and members of the Public
Safety Committee. My name is Matt dowy and I'm a manager of
Emergency Management Services for the city of Chicago's
office of emergency management and Communications and my
role as emergency manager, I oversee, various planning
functions as they relate to Emergency Management for oemc.
The resolution before you today would allow the city of
Chicago to adopt the 2024, Cook County
multi-jurisdictional, Hazard, mitigation plan, and the City
of Chicago jurisdictional Annex the County's previous plan
expired. In September 2024. The purpose of this plan is to
identify local policies and actions that can be implemented
over the long term to reduce risk and future losses from
natural hazards. This plan allows the city of Chicago to
remain eligible for future funds. Under FEMA's, Hazard,
mitigation grant program by partnering with Cook County, we
we reduce redundancies and costs for Chicago and enhance
Regional collaboration. I have prepared a brief
presentation for today and
I'm happy to answer any questions. You may have afterwards
about this plan.
All right, quick overview of what, I'll be presenting on
today. The what and the why of mitigation and exactly why
we've engaged in this initiative, some of the benefits of
engaging in mitigation planning.
We'll take a brief overview of what a hazard mitigation
plan looks like.
And then we'll look at the actual Cook County
multi-jurisdictional, Hazard mitigation plan that we
developed for 2024
okay, unlike a lot of our emergency response plans that we
work on daily at oemc,
The hazard mitigation plan is strictly focused on.
The actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to
life and property from Hazard events. And we're really
talking about natural hazards here. So this plan does not
address, uh, human cause hazards such as terrorism or
technological hazards. It's strictly focused on natural
hazards.
So just like every other Hazard mitigation plan, we're
primarily focused on protecting human life and preventing
damage or loss of property.
Uh we're promoting inter agency coordination and response
both here within the city as well, with our County Regional
and state partners.
Increasing public awareness about hazards, uh getting
public input, is a major factor in developing Hazard
mitigation plan for FEMA guidance. Uh, so among other
things were, um, Distributing and receiving, um, surveys to
the public hosting webinars hosting public meetings as
well.
Of course, we want to increase the preparedness within the
community making sure that our residents and visitors know
about the various hazards that could impact the city of
Chicago and how to properly prepare for them.
And really most importantly adopting, this plan allows us
to remain eligible for FEMA's Hazard mitigation grant
funding that was mentioned earlier.
All right, there's a common statistic that's used really,
uh, across the country. And it's very apropos today for
every 1 dollar spent in mitigation planning. You're really
saving $6 in future costs. Uh, we all see what is occurring
right now in Los Angeles with, um, the horrible wildfires
that they are experiencing. Um, it's
Projected to be 1 of the costliest. Natural disasters in
the history of the US. Um, while we're fortunate here in
Chicago and Cook County that we do not have a wildfire risk
as they do in Southern California. Uh nonetheless it's a
it's a good lesson learned that by investing. Now in
various mitigation strategies you can hopefully avoid some
of those future costs uh associated with natural disasters.
All right. Taking a look at our plan that we developed uh
this past year. Um it was developed by the Cook County
Department of Emergency Management and Regional security.
Uh there is a steering committee in which I served on uh as
did other partners from across the city and the region. Um
per FEMA, guidance, it is required to be updated every 5
years. Uh, so our previous plan was the 2014 Hazard
mitigation plan, excuse me, the 2019 Hazard mitigation
plan. It is the largest plan in the country, uh, with the
most, uh, Partners adopting, uh, the plan.
Um we actually increased our number of participants uh from
the previous version. We have 125 municipalities from Cook
County that um adopted the plan this year uh of course
including the city of Chicago.
And as mentioned previously, uh, adopting, this plan allows
us to maintain our eligibility for certain types of federal
mitigation funding. Um, and we'll continue that 5 years
cycle. Um, once again,
Okay. Our 2024 Cook County Hazard, mitigation plan, consists
consists of 2 volumes volume 1 uh applies to all planning
Partners across the county including Chicago,
Volume 2 is essentially a series of chapters every single
adopting. Um,
Partner including the city. Uh has a jurisdiction specific
Annex. So our city of Chicago Annex is a I believe 55 pages
long. Um so there's actually um 124 other annexes just
within Volume 2. So it's a very robust thorough document.
it's all located online on Cook County, Emergency
Management's website. So I encourage everybody to, um,
I don't expect everybody to read it cover to cover. It's
certainly has some uh valuable information including 3,000
pages and over 500 maps and figures.
Um and the plan identifies over 1500 mitigation actions and
projects uh that we've identified that can or either
already underway or can be implemented uh across the county
in these 125 partners.
And specifically in the city of Chicago, we've identified
55 total actions here that we can take.
Okay, some of the plan updates and changes for 2024. Um,
As we do every 5 years, we address an update, our
community's risks our capabilities, our critical assets and
our strategies to combat, uh, some of these natural
hazards.
There was a greater focus on ensuring underserved
populations were invited to participate in the planning
process.
Uh we hosted 4 Community meetings across the county. We
also hosted uh, several webinars in which we invited over
100 Community Based organizations to, uh, participate,
provide their input and hopefully engage in um, in the
survey process.
We ensured Equity was considered as part of the plan
uh, compared to what what we did 5 years ago. I think we
think we reached out to more and more Partners. Uh, we
received more completed surveys and we got more Community
Based organizations to participate this year.
Uh, we all know. Climate change is, uh, continues to be a
Hot Topic. There was a greater analysis on climate change.
In this year's Hazard, mitigation plan for each Hazard that
we studied, uh, on a 1 to 4 scale. We identified the
potential for climate change to impact that Hazard, uh, in
the years to come and we also, uh, produce some modeling,
uh, through actually the end of this Century for what those
impacts could look like here in the city of Chicago.
For the city of Chicago Annex, we had 9 City agencies that
participated in its development this year. Uh the mayor's
office oemc Department of buildings, Transportation Water
Management, family and Support Services, Public Health,
Aviation, and the department of environment.
So the primary hazards that we addressed in our city of
Chicago, Annex were severe weather or really summer spring
and summer, severe weather, which includes everything from
extreme heat to lightning to hail to fog and high winds. Of
course. Also have severe winter weather here which includes
ice storms, heavy snow blizzards, and extreme cold.
We also addressed tornadoes earthquakes. Yes. We do have an
earthquake risk here in Chicago and Cook County.
Flooding drought and Dam failure. While we don't have any
dams located within the city itself. We do have the
potential to have some impacts from dams uh located on the
displays River.
so once again, uh, both of these volumes are located online
at uh Cook County, Emergency Management's website,
There is my contact information if you'd like to uh, receive
some more information. As is my colleague Kim? No Wiki from
Wiki from Cook County Department of Emergency Management
and Regional security. Um, our information is right there
and I'm happy to entertain any questions that you have.
Uh, we have, uh,
Alderman cincho Lopez with his hand raised and also please
add Alderaan lie to the uh attendance roll call.
Thank you. Good morning, chairman. Just wanted to be added
to the Roll Call.
Thank you, and appreciate the presentation.
Uh, thank you, thank you, Alderman. You you've been added.
Um,
As far as the definition of a natural disaster, uh a dam
failure. Obviously is a, a man-made structure and a
failure? How does that work in terms of being defined as a
natural disaster? It it's somewhat straddles the line
between natural and technological hazards. While it is a
man-made structure. Usually any um,
Impacts, uh, associated with a dam failure, are typically
caused by heavy rains and flooding? So we do Loop that in
as a, a natural hazard.
Uh, is there any contemplation uh for addressing potential
hazards that would possibly be caused by acts of sabotage?
That you know could mimic a natural disaster? Um is that
addressed in the planet at all?
It isn't we really consider that more of a human cause
Hazard because that's the origin of it. It's something that
a human would cause even if it has secondary, impacts that
fall into natural hazards, okay? Um, some of the recent
incidents in the state of Ohio, come to mind, uh, where
there have been, um, rail cars with flammable material have
have caused major disasters is, is that contemplated in
this planner? Is that, uh, we have, we have separate
planning initiatives, um, including our local emergency
planning committee, um, hazardous material plan. Um, but
since that really qualifies as a technological Hazard, that
does not fall within this realm, okay.
Uh, further questions from committee members.
No. Oh yes. Automatically.
Thank you chair. Um,
And just because I'm here and I have an interest uh nice to
see you Matt. Um
On the, the natural disaster in the the plans. Um, what
sort of uh
Planning at the local level. I mean, just because as as an
older person, obviously, if, um, the most common thing that
I think we've experienced is flooding, um, I'm wondering
you addressed preparedness, uh, as part of the plan as
well, can you talk a little bit more about what the
preparedness looks like? And how we how that trickles down
to sort of the more local level where we can um get
information out, you know as someone that's
Worked in Disaster Response before in a previous life. Um,
we did a lot of, you know, just tabletop drills. Um, we're
always sort of preparing for that sort of thing. I know
that's much more difficult at sort of the Citywide and
countywide level, um, but I have had this like,
Scary thought in the back of my head that God forbid
something does happen like how do we how do we activate on
that? Um so can you talk a little bit about what
preparedness looks like and and how that gets out to the
local level? Sure. Both Chicago and EMC and Cook County
Emergency Management. We both have Community preparedness,
um, campaigns and strategies. Um, so that involves a lot of
uh just helpful hints that are both on our website as well
as our oemc app. Uh telling about ways that people can stay
informed about potential hazards. Um, we always like to
to encourage people to build a kit and make a plan that you
everybody. No matter what the hazard is you should always
be prepared to, uh, you know, go up to 3 days without
perhaps, uh, assistance. So that involves making a kit for
you and your family, um, developing a reunification plan
and the event that you and your family gets separated. Uh,
we also give the helpful hints on both.
Uh, flooding mitigation. And what happens if you have been
impacted uh by flooding and some other other disasters too.
Um so a lot of good information on our website, we also do
a lot of in-person community. Preparedness fairs. Um things
of that nature. We actually started a Marvel Superhero
campaign, this past year, that we're pretty excited about
that encourages Community preparedness.
That's great. Um I'll I'll be looking into that and you
know seasonally especially if we know like the rainy
season. Um, it'd be great to push more of that information
out proactively, um, just to remind people to do all of
these things serve in advance, um, and things just to have
prepared in your home.
Thank you. Thank you.
Uh, yeah. Thank you. Matthew, uh, for your participation.
Um, and and Kimberly, no Wiki who joined us from Cook
County uh, remotely again. This is a very important hearing
hearing to have uh, at this point. The year 2025 is not off
to a good start in the world of disasters, man-made and
others. Uh, so we appreciate, uh, you bringing this to our
attention. I would encourage all members of this committee
if it's a lengthy document, but if you have time to prove
some of it, uh, please do so, um, you know, the, the time
to prepare is before, uh, you're in an emergency situation.
I would encourage everyone to at least look at the
executive summary, which is, um, was there for your review?
Uh, with no further business before this committee? Uh,
Alderman, tell you a pharaoh moves a German hearing, no,
Ejection the meeting is adjourned. Thank you, everyone.