Daley Police presence at Taste not to blame for deadly weekend

Mayor Daley today blamed hot weather and holiday drinking — not a diversion of police resources to Taste of Chicago — for one of the deadliest weekends in recent memory.

Eleven people were killed and dozens more were injured in a surge of weekend violence that steered clear of the Taste, where Chicago Police maintained a heavy presence and screened patrons at four entrances.

The weekend bloodbath was unfolding as Police Supt. Jody Weis was taking a public bow for a 12.7 percent drop in homicides and a 10.4 percent decline in overall crime.

“Anytime you have a long weekend — weekends are very difficult — especially big holiday weekends,” the mayor said.

With Weis crediting a cool spring for a drop in homicides, Daley was asked whether hot weather could be blamed for the surge in homicides.

“We always have hot weather during the summer. That’s one thing we always do. I hope the mayor doesn’t have to make that announcement,” Daley said sarcastically.

Turning serious, he said, “Hot weather always does. ... Let’s be realistic. People are drinking more.”

Last summer, Daley raised the roof — and Weis was placed on the City Council hot seat — after a surge in violent crime boiled over at Taste of Chicago. Four people were shot, one fatally, as the crowd from the July 3 fireworks show was dispersing.

To avoid similar problems this year, Weis devised a security plan that built on the success of President Obama’s election night rally in Grant Park.

For the first time, police set up designated entryways — at Monroe, Jackson, Congress and Balbo — so officers and security personnel could, as Weis put it, “get a good eye of people coming in.”

The superintendent also ordered a heavier police presence at CTA, Metra and Pace stops and took advantage of live surveillance cameras positioned near the festival.

“Folks will feel very safe because they’re going to see a police officer on almost every block, and in some instances 20 feet, so we’re going to have a very hard presence in terms of letting people know we have a lot of officers in place,” Weis said before the city’s premier food festival.

Today, Daley dedicated a new $700,000 playground at 3546 W. Addison and used the opportunity to renew his plea for parents to take responsibility for their children. He wants them to make certain kids under 17 abide by the city’s revised curfew: 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

“The violence of the past weekend is a reminder that we, as a city, must do all we can to fight gangs, guns and drugs that still affect many communities and take our children from us. That’s the sad thing, another funeral, another funeral. It’s about time that people get outraged,” the mayor said.

“I can’t emphasize it strongly enough: It’s not up to the police to keep kids safe. It’s up to all of us.”