Chicago Police Department Says Only 499 Murders In 2012

I can’t say I’m too surprised to hear the following. From Jeremy Gorner and Peter Nickeas on the Chicago Tribune website this afternoon:

Hours after Chicago police listed the shooting death of a West Side man as the city’s 500th homicide of the year, the department backtracked and said the city has yet to reach the grim milestone.

Superintendent Garry McCarthy had told the Tribune Thursday afternoon that the homicide count stood at 499. Hours later, Nathaniel T. Jackson, 40, was gunned down outside a store in the Austin neighborhood and the department confirmed Friday morning that his death was the 500th homicide. Mayor Rahm Emanuel released a statement noting that “Chicago has reached an unfortunate and tragic milestone.”

But then the department issued its own statement calling reports of the tally inaccurate, saying the number remained at 499. Asked for clarification, a spokeswoman for the superintendent said one of the homicide cases from earlier this week has been reclassified as a death investigation.

“Death investigation.”

Something tells me Chicago might not “officially” see 500 murders in 2012.

Early this morning, Second City Cop had a few choice words for Mayor Emanuel, Superintendent McCarthy, the local press, the reverends, and CPD leadership about seemingly reaching that milestone in homicides:

So a big congratulations to Rahm Emanuel and Garry McCompStat. You’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the number of police officers has a direct correlation to the amount of blood running through the street gutters of Chicago. All your spouting off about “properly utilizing the officers we have” and “highest per capita” statistical nonsense? Bullshit. And sitting idly by while the media and reverends crucify officers and allowing years worth of incompetent “merit” promotions run amok throughout the Department? If it wasn’t part of some Grand Plan to destroy the Chicago Police Department, that was the consequence anyway.

Ouch.

I wonder if SCC has another congratulatory statement warming up in the bullpen should we get to that 500 murder mark again?

By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (http://www.survivalandprosperity.com)

Sources:

Gorner, Jeremy and Nickeas, Peter. “Chicago police backtrack after confirming 500th homicide.” Chicago Tribune. 28 Dec. 2012. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-chicago-2012-homicide-toll-20121228,0,5456581.story). 28 Dec. 2012.

SCC. “500 for Sure Now.” Second City Cop. 28 Dec. 2012. (http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/2012/12/500-for-sure-now.html). 28 Dec. 2012.