CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago police set up a mobile command unit near Millennium Park Friday, and with officers and police vehicles seemingly everywhere, there was no repeat of last weekend's violence.
Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins noted that images of chaos in the streets hurt the city's reputation and could impact tourism.
"It affects potential convention business — there's a lot of concern of what's going to happen during the Democratic National Convention," he said. "Fortunately we have time to prepare for that, but it's an embarrassing situation to have Chicago discussed in these terms. We have to fix this."
Hopkins said more training is needed to prepare officers for situations when mobs get out of control.
"That is not something that happens every day," the alderman said. "You have to practice. You have to train for it. You have to conduct drills. You have to simulate it in the police training academy. All of these things need to occur so that when these situations pop up, we know how to handle it and we have a plan in place."
The heavy police presence did appear to make people feel safer — that image, though, can also be troubling.
Chicago police said the heavy presence will continue through the weekend.
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