What’s New

Patrick Kennedy

A resident of Mount Greenwood, Kennedy did not respond to requests for comment

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

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Patrick Kennedy Read More »

Andre Pate

Pate, who has worked in the Cook County Circuit Court for over 20 years, is an operations manager for the Cook County Clerk’s Office. He’s running “to create an environment of accountability, trust, and collaboration.”

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Andre Pate Read More »

Carisa Parker

A healthcare professional, Parker has been chair of Morgan Park High School’s Local School Council for a decade. Her son is a Chicago police officer, and she co-founded Moms of CPD, a group that aims to create positive interactions between officers and community members.

Parker did not respond to the Reader’s questionnaire, but in a since-deleted Facebook comment, she wrote, I am a survivor of domestic violence at the hand of a Chicago police officer and was victimized by a system that protects officers. I am an advocate for holding CPD accountable for hiring more Black and Brown officers to be guardians of our neighborhoods! I live in one of the most violent beats in the 22nd District and want to feel safe in my community, just like my neighbors and the hundreds of people whose doors I have knocked on.

I have volunteered for over a decade to advocate for Black children victimized by lack of equity in CPS. Do I support my children, including my son? Of course I do because I’m a great mom with amazing children, all working to make a difference in the world. I am an advocate for accountability for all. I am the only candidate trained and versed in restorative justice. I am the only candidate running in 22 who has relationships with residents and community leaders in every single corner of the district, and across the city for that matter. And that is what this role needs. Someone who can bring people together for healing and collaboration and do the job that many alderpeople in this city haven’t been able to do.

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Carisa Parker Read More »

EdVetté W. Jones

A trustee of the United Church of Rogers Park, Jones works with the Circles and Ciphers Youth Organization and previously was a youth advocate for Methodist Youth Services, where he frequently interacted with the Department of Children and Family Services, probation and parole officers. He helped draft the ECPS ordinance and says “public safety is a joint venture.”

He is running in a slate with Veronica Arreola and Marilyn Pagán-Banks; the slate’s campaign website calls district councils “the most progressive community-led police accountability device in the country.” Alderpersons Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and Maria Hadden (49th Ward), state representative Kelly M. Cassidy (14th District), the ONE People’s Campaign, Network 49, and United Working Families 50th Ward have endorsed the three-candidate slate. 

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

EdVetté W. Jones Read More »

Lee Bielecki

A retired CPD sergeant, Bilecki has said, “the best results are when the community partners with the police,” and that he is running “to listen and help give community members a voice [and] to give the police input as well.”

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Lee Bielecki Read More »

Andre Pate

Pate, who has worked in the Cook County Circuit Court for over 20 years, is an operations manager for the Cook County Clerk’s Office. He’s running “to create an environment of accountability, trust, and collaboration.”

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Andre Pate Read More »

David Earl Williams III

A US Navy veteran, Williams wrote in his campaign announcement that if elected he’ll “fight to improve public safety (including reasonable fund reallocation to help lessen crime) . . . [and] hold police violence against civilians and cop killers equally accountable, and will work to bridge the divide between the community and the police.” MWRD commissioner Dan Pogorzelski and Violence Interrupters executive director Tio Hardiman have endorsed.

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

David Earl Williams III Read More »

Veronica Arreola

Arreola founded the 50th Ward Action Network and worked with The People’s Lobby during the 2019 municipal elections. She is running in a slate with EdVetté Jones and Marilyn Pagán-Banks; the slate’s campaign website calls district councils “the most progressive community-led police accountability device in the country.” Alderpersons Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and Maria Hadden (49th Ward), state representative Kelly M. Cassidy (14th District), the ONE People’s Campaign, Network 49, and United Working Families 50th Ward have endorsed the three-candidate slate. 

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Veronica Arreola Read More »

EdVetté W. Jones

A trustee of the United Church of Rogers Park, Jones works with the Circles and Ciphers Youth Organization and previously was a youth advocate for Methodist Youth Services, where he frequently interacted with the Department of Children and Family Services, probation and parole officers. He helped draft the ECPS ordinance and says “public safety is a joint venture.”

He is running in a slate with Veronica Arreola and Marilyn Pagán-Banks; the slate’s campaign website calls district councils “the most progressive community-led police accountability device in the country.” Alderpersons Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and Maria Hadden (49th Ward), state representative Kelly M. Cassidy (14th District), the ONE People’s Campaign, Network 49, and United Working Families 50th Ward have endorsed the three-candidate slate. 

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

EdVetté W. Jones Read More »

Marilyn Pagán-Banks

The director of the nonprofit A Just Harvest and a founding member of the Coalition to End Money Bond, Pagán-Banks says, “If we want a safe community, then all must have enough to eat, earn a livable wage, access meds if needed, and have a place to truly rest. If we want a beautiful community, then all must know dignity and respect, have a clear sense of belonging and be truly seen.”

She is running in a slate with EdVetté Jones and Veronica Arreola; the slate’s campaign website calls district councils “the most progressive community-led police accountability device in the country.” Alderpersons Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and Maria Hadden (49th Ward), state representative Kelly M. Cassidy (14th District), the ONE People’s Campaign, Network 49, and United Working Families 50th Ward have endorsed the three-candidate slate. 

Candidate questionnaire responses

Do you have experience as an activist or community organizer?
Do you have experience interacting with CPD?
Do you have experience working or interacting with government?
Should the city hire more police officers?
Is CPD adequately funded?
CPD reform:
Mental health crises:

What do you consider the primary role of a police district councilor to be?

Why are you running for Police District Council?

Read More

Marilyn Pagán-Banks Read More »