Posted by Carl Yudell
In Bill Leske's absence, Marie Kuipers chaired the meeting.  24 members attended today’s meeting.  Guests were Emma Kunin from Winnetka Youth Organization, Mary Bak from the Glenview Sunrise Club and Assistant District Governor, and Ron Bernardi from the Northbrook Club. 
 
Happy Birthday: greetings were due Connie Berman on June 7.  Pat O’Day celebrated his 40th anniversary as a Rotarian on June 1.
 
Announcements:
  • Marie Kuipers thanked Ron Bernardi, Laura Cunningham and all the other helpers at the spring benefit.
  • Felicia O’Malley reminded us of Eastgate Capital Advisors event at Michigan Shores that evening on “Everything you always wanted to know about Retirement**but didn’t want to ask.”
Happy Bucks:
  •   Wes Baumann gave $15, $5 for each Cardinals win over the Cubs last weekend
  •   David Birkenstein visited Keith Reed.  He is doing well and looking forward to attending meetings before the end of June.
  •   Ron Bernardi said the spring Hoedown was one of best events he has ever attended.
  •   Mary Bak said the district is here to help.  Club Runner is available and has great functionality.
  •   Tony Kambich, Barb Tubekis, Robert Mardirossian all gave thanks to Marie Kuipers, Ron Bernardi and all the other helpers for a terrific event.
Dig and Grin:  Eric Birkenstein acknowledging the upcoming Father’s Day entertained us with corny father jokes.
 
Our speaker was Ethan Holland from the Gun Crimes Strategies Unit (GCSU) of the State’s Attorney Office. Ethan has been prosecutor for the last 20 years.  Certain people in Chicago are driving the violence in the city.  45% of the shootings are occurring in the 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 15th districts.  The GCSU was created for the prosecutors to “fish with spears instead of nets” to apprehend and put away these known violent offenders.
 
20 years ago there were large defined gangs such as the Latin Kings and the Gangster Disciples.  Now everything has splintered.  Every block seems to have its own gang warring with other gangs and within its own gang.  20 years ago, a gang war was a noted departure from standard operations.  Today there is a constant war.
 
The police in response have created Strategic Decision Support Centers.  These centers monitor both public and private cameras all over the city using both computers and personnel.  When a shot is fired in the city, the police immediate know the location and have pictures of the incident as well as possible witnesses. 
 
The police are also monitoring social media.  Surprisingly, these violent offenders like to boast on social media of their exploits.
 
The purpose of the GCSU is to gear up and prosecute all of these violent offenders using all the resources of the police, the prosecutor’s office and the State of Illinois.  They intend to be relentless and make it known on the street that they are and will be relentless.