At a packed community meeting in Kenwood, McCarthy said the decision to shutter stations and "right size" police districts was based on the geographic size of the area, reported crime and staffing. Closing stations puts about 20 more cops on the street, he said."I know everybody loves having a building," McCarthy said. "It's not the building that matters. Instead of taking something away, we're getting more cops on the street."
Many in the crowd at Saint Paul the Redeemer weren't buying it. Several of the hundreds in attendance were reluctant to support the plan because they said it was not publicly aired and they only learned of it after Emanuel announced it as part of his budget address last week.
Ald. Will Burns, 4th, who hosted the forum, said it was an important first step in building support.
"This is a radical idea, and you have to build confidence in people who are skeptical," Burns said.
Should the plan go through, people who live in the 4th Ward will lose their Prairie police station and see it folded into the Wentworth station.
"I'm hoping your department is taking into consideration the peculiarities of each district," said Anita Newsome, who lives in North Kenwood. "We are home to the president of the United States. I want you to be aware that we are combining districts that have different cultures."
Several others expressed concerns about resources and manpower going to high-crime areas when the districts are combined. Although no one expressed it in stark terms, it highlighted the potential class fissures.
"We're not going to abandon one part of the district to cover another part," McCarthy said.
Monday's meeting was the first round of appearances McCarthy intends to make.
"Every T is not crossed and every I is not dotted yet in this plan," McCarthy said.
The administration also wants to close the Wood station on the near West Side and the Belmont station on the North Side.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEWS VIDEO
