Former prosecutor suggests flooding Chicago streets with National Guard troops to combat violence
FOX 32 NEWS - A former prosecutor who spent years battling street gangs says there's only one sure way to cut down Chicago’s skyrocketing murder rate.
He’s proposing a massive intervention by federal troops.
"This is the biggest crisis going on in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois. And it's the most solvable. It's just that we don't have the will to do it,” said former prosecutor Robert Milan.
Milan has spent the better part of his career battling crime and street gangs as a top prosecutor for both the Cook County State's Attorney and U.S. Attorney.
Now a private citizen, Milan says the recent murders of three Chicago children in separate gang shootings is a call to action.
"In light of what happened to the 11 year old and 12 year old and two year old, it's time. And the plan is simply this; you bring in the National Guard,” Milan said.
Milan proposes flooding neighborhoods like Austin and Englewood with thousands of National Guard troops, barricading about half the entrance and exit points to those areas and posting guards on those that are open.
"And you saturate the interior, and you use drones and law enforcement cameras, and the ATF and FBI and Cook County Sheriffs, Chicago Police department and the National Guard. There will be zero shootings in those areas as long as the National Guard is in there,” Milan said.
It’s not the first time it has been suggested.
Last month, President Trump tweeted the idea of federal intervention to combat Chicago crime, which was roundly rejected by city hall.
On Wednesday, Milan’s proposal got the same reception.
"My initial thought is I'm concerned it would backfire and there would be even more violence because of it,” said Alderman Roderick Sawyer.
"I think a conversation about militarizing urban America is misplaced. We should take those resources, that that money and create after school programs, create jobs,” said Alderman Rick Munoz.
"I understand there's a long term game plan, and there should be, for jobs, to deal with the poverty and poor schools and broken families. I get that. But we can't wait for that to happen. The crisis is now. Otherwise every single week we're gonna be talking about kids getting killed,” Milan said.
Milan says at the least he hopes to start a conversation that will force Chicago’s leaders to take dramatic action to relieve a drastic situation.
Milan says there's proof that police saturation works. During a weekend last November, hundreds of Chicago cops flooded three districts with high murder rates. There was only one shooting during that time.