Cicero invites Chicago Police Officers to apply for Lateral Transfers
Town President Larry Dominick said Friday (March 4, 2022) he hopes to hire at least 20 more qualified Chicago Police officers to join Cicero’s Police Department.
Dominick, a retired 20-year Deputy in the Cicero Police Department, said that the additional police officers will receive support from government and the community.
Chicago Police Officers interested in applying for a “lateral transfer” which preserves their rank and experience can apply beginning today through April 15, 2022.
“Our police officers are the best and the most effective in providing safety and security to our citizens and our businesses because they have the support not only of our government and its leaders but the community, too,” Dominick said.
“When I was elected to office in 2005, I made fighting crime a priority. We have seen the number of gang related shootings and homicides drop significantly from 66 shootings and a dozen homicides to fewer than 9 shooting and 2 deaths in 2021. We achieved that by educating our residents on the important role they must play to make our neighborhoods safe for our children and families and strengthening the gang crimes unit.”
Dominick said there are 170 fulltime officers in the Cicero Police Department who earn competitive salaries.
“We believe this is the best place for police to work and we have offered many times to share our successes with the City of Chicago to combat the growing street gang violence and killings there,” Dominick said.
“It’s amazing how an imaginary municipal border exists between Cicero and Chicago and the gang related homicides are so strikingly different.”
Dominick said that Cicero created the “Parent Patrols” after his election to engage parents in escorting their children to and from school each morning and afternoon, and provide many activities for the students to keep them from joining gangs.
“Having the parents walk with their children and the children of other working parents to and from school each morning has created an atmosphere of safety that has discouraged street gangs from recruiting and being active in our community,” Dominick said.
“The gangbangers do not want to be in Cicero. We have made life difficult for them.”
Dominick noted the town built a gymnasium and community center to give young people alternative activities, hosts more than two dozen events each year including summer long activities, festivals and entertainment events focused on young people and families. And the town built a regulation size ice/roller skating stadium for young people.
“You have to get the parents involved and you have to give the children a real alternative in order to discourage them from falling victim to gang recruitment,” Dominick said.
“We have done that.”
Chicago Police officers who wish to apply for a lateral transfer can do so in confidence by reaching out to the Town of Cicero Police and Fire Commission by calling 708-982-3839.
Applications are now available by contacting the Town of Cicero, 4901 W. Cermak Road, Cicero, IL 60804.
For questions or more information, contact the Police and Fire Commission, 5410 W. 34th Street, Cicero, Il., 60804. 708-982-3839.
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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