Sid to University: Suggestions to Reduce Crime in Hyde Park

--------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Sid Colton <s220sid2@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Aug 14, 2022 at 7:41 AM
Subject: Crime-reduction suggestions from Sid Colton
To: Wendy Williams <wendywilliams@uchicago.edu>, President Paul Alivisatos <President@uchicago.edu>
Cc: Eric Heath Associate Vice President for Safety and Security <emheath@uchicago.edu>

Sunday August 14, 2022

Dear Wendy, and President Alivisatos,

Although I came up with this list as part of one group in Hyde Park that was meeting to figure out how to help reduce violence in Chicago ... this email is 100% mine and stands on its own as suggestions from me, to you and to UChicago.

1. I ask if the University of Chicago is interested in coming up with some safety program that specifically will benefit "individual/single" older Hyde Parkers who need to do errands or such alone, whether in the day or the evening or late-at-night. Recent attack(s) on individuals have made people aware that it is not at all "safe enough" for an individual to be out walking alone, day or night, even if it is a requirement for that individual. The ultimate example is that murder of the beloved bartender from the Cove, who was walking home alone and murdered at about 4am or so one block from his home at about 50th & University. However there is also one very-recent example of an individual/single older Hyde Parkers simply leaving church to walk a couple blocks home, who was attacked, during the day.

2."Buddies"? I presume that the U of Chicago wants to hear about, and may energetically want to help create some kind of a Senior Citizen Safety Program for Hyde Park; or some kind of "all ages" buddy-system for safety, day and night; One program would be to inspire "walk alone" single-people, to become "buddies" with anyone nearby (young or old), for simple shopping or other errands or walks on our streets.

A possible "model" that may work, is for the UofC to get both students who live on the same block as a senior, to "pair up" when both a student and an older person need to be out at night ... so there can be a younger buddy with an older buddy. Or, the same "matching/buddy" system might pair two people of similar -- or any -- age, when appropriate. So, the UofC can help create such a program.

3. UChicago Police: Should the UofC Police interact more with programs and such with both the residents of Hyde Park, including students ... and come up with some new (or re-energized) programs, to help reduce the amount of crime?

In summary:
Wendy and President Alivisatos: Are any of the above ideas, ideas that UChicago may want to think about and help put into place ... whether as a support for a community initiative; or a joint-program between students/staff and Hyde Park residents; or a program that UChicago directly runs on its own.
What are your thoughts?

Thank you very much.

Sincerely Yours,
Sid Colton
College Class of 1973; BA UChicago '89; 1975-2021 UChicago retired staff
Resident of Hyde Park 1975 to the present
https://patch.com/users/sid-colton