The U of Chicago Police Department Is Now Occupied By UC Students

Here is the University of Chicago statement on what is happening at the University of Chicago Police Department building at 61st and Drexel Ave, on the U of Chicago campus:

"At approximately 3:30 p.m., protestors entered the lobby of 6054 S. Drexel Avenue as part of a demonstration opposing the existence of the University of Chicago Police Department. The building officially closed at 5:00 pm and some protestors remained inside. Deans on Call (who are University staff members) advised students that the building would be closed at 5:00 p.m. and that they would not be able to eat in the building due to COVID-related safety risks. At all times the protestors have been free to leave. Deans on Call further advised students to follow safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as protestors were not following the City’s social distancing mandate. Masks were offered to those who did not have them. At 7:15 p.m., the following information was distributed to protestors:

1. The building you are in is now closed and you are trespassing. You need to leave the building. No one has or is preventing you from leaving the building.
2. The City and State’s COVID-19 guidance prohibits gathering of more than 10 people.
3. You are required to wear masks and social distance with at least 6 feet between people. We have made masks available to any of you who need one.
4. The Dean on Call has offered to arrange a meeting with the Provost and the Chief of Police.
5. Please refrain from calling the UCPD dispatch repeatedly and asking others to do so. It is causing a public safety hazard.

As part of our commitment to free expression, the University is fundamentally committed to upholding the rights of protesters to express a wide range of views. University policies also make it clear that demonstrations cannot jeopardize safety or disrupt the University’s operations and the ability of people in the University to carry out their work.

As UCPD Chief Kenton Rainey stated in a recent University Town Hall, he remains committed to having a dialogue about the best ways to uphold public safety.

The University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) is dedicated to promoting a safe and secure environment for the University of Chicago campus and neighboring communities. UCPD peace officers serve the communities surrounding the University in accordance with Chicago City Ordinance and in response to community needs and requests from community leaders for the University to play a role in public safety and other issues of concern to residents. UCPD maintains a Community Oriented Policing & Problem Solving (COPPS) philosophy as our operating strategy for community engagement. This philosophy requires our agency to collaborate with our community stakeholders in order to identify and solve issues of crime and disorder impacting the community.

UCPD has been fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA). These accreditations mean that UCPD’s policies and procedures meet the highest expectations and best practices in law enforcement. Only 6% of law enforcement agencies in the country are accredited by CALEA, and UCPD remains the only CALEA-accredited campus public safety agency in Illinois."

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Here is the Twitter link from some of the U of Chicago protesting-students:

https://twitter.com/uchicagogsu/status/1271613393221357570?s=20&fbclid=IwAR05-XL9QFV6evSnzZf2K8HtmEO-4qQt68r05zwz7DyX9F9t0T47yeEC_I8