File #: 16-5229    Version: Name: CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA GANG TASK FORCE
Type: Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 9/8/2016 In control: Law Enforcement Committee
On agenda: 9/14/2016 Final action: 10/26/2016
Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA GANG TASK FORCE WHEREAS, the prevalence of social media and the internet have altered the way the world communicates and does business; and, WHEREAS,, violence in Cook County has devastated too many communities; and, WHEREAS,, social media plays a prominent role in facilitating violence; and, WHEREAS,, police across the region have expressed frustration at their inability to meaningfully reduce gun violence in Chicago and Cook County; and, WHEREAS,, studies undertaken and findings published by Columbia University Professor Desmond Patton have shown a connection between online threats and offline violent incidents in Chicago; and, WHEREAS,, homicide is the second leading cause of death for young people; and, WHEREAS,, 90 percent of teenagers use the internet regularly; and, WHEREAS,, there exist numerous, documented examples of individuals using social media for the purposes of selling drugs and the pursuit of other illegal activit...
Sponsors: LUIS ARROYO JR, JERRY BUTLER, JOHN P. DALEY, JOHN A. FRITCHEY, BRIDGET GAINER, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, GREGG GOSLIN, EDWARD M. MOODY, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, ROBERT STEELE, LARRY SUFFREDIN, JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI

title

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

 

CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA GANG TASK FORCE

 

WHEREAS, the prevalence of social media and the internet have altered the way the world communicates and does business; and,

 

WHEREAS,, violence in Cook County has devastated too many communities; and,

 

WHEREAS,, social media plays a prominent role in facilitating violence; and,

 

WHEREAS,, police across the region have expressed frustration at their inability to meaningfully reduce gun violence in Chicago and Cook County; and,

 

WHEREAS,, studies undertaken and findings published by Columbia University Professor Desmond Patton have shown a connection between online threats and offline violent incidents in Chicago; and,

 

WHEREAS,, homicide is the second leading cause of death for young people; and,

WHEREAS,, 90 percent of teenagers use the internet regularly; and,

WHEREAS,, there exist numerous, documented examples of individuals using social media for the purposes of selling drugs and the pursuit of other illegal activities; and,

WHEREAS,, there exist numerous, documented examples of offline conflicts between individuals being escalated via online platforms; and,

 

WHEREAS,, it is the responsibility and civic duty of this Board of Commissioners and County government to use all of the resources at its disposal to investigate the root causes of violence and crime in Cook County and enact policies designed to reduce that violence and crime to the greatest extent possible;

 

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that there be established a taskforce composed of the necessary parties to study interactions with the assistance of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department on social media in order to better equip law enforcement to deal with the negative consequences; and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners that the Task Force created herein shall consist of eleven members, appointed in the following manner:

 

(1)                     A designee of the Cook County Sheriff;

(2)                     The Chair of the Human Relations Committee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners;

(3)                     The Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners;

(4)                     The Chair of the Law Enforcement Committee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners;

(5)                     The Commissioner representing the 16th District of the Cook County Board of Commissioners; Chairman of Cook County Board of Commissioners  on Homeland Security

(6)                     A designee of the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners;

(7)                     A designee of the Cook County State’s Attorney;

(8)                     A designee of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County;

(9)                     A designee of the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department;

(10)                     A designee of the Director of the Illinois State Police; and,

(11)                      A designee of the Cook County Public Defender

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that the Cook County Task Force on Social Media and Violence, created herein, shall meet not less than three times within a six month period following the enactment of this resolution; and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that the Cook County Task Force on Social Media and Violence shall, after having met in the manner and with the frequency described in the foregoing paragraph, furnish a report to the Cook County Board of Commissioners outlining a recommended strategy for a reduction in violence and crime instigated on social media platforms.

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