Welcome to the official Boystown Dogwalkers Blog!
Many of you are certainly familiar with the lively Boystown neighborhood in the Lakeview district of Chicago. A diverse community where anyone is welcome regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, political view, or religious belief. The neighborhood is a destination for young and old alike seeking a unique dining experience, exciting shops, or a fun night on the town. Its residents love the vibrant atmosphere and community feel of its streets and come together to celebrate the city in which they live.
This neighborhood is also a safe haven for those who feel persecuted or abandoned. Non-profit organizations and ministries reach out to those in need and aid those in pain. The community strives to support these individuals and create a safe environment for its residents and visitors.
Unfortunately, this idyllic portrait has been marred by an increase in violent crime perpetrated against the neighborhood's residents and visitors. Concerned citizens have come together to devise a solution so that the people who live and frequent Boystown feel a continued sense of safety. A CAPS meeting on July 6, 2011 was attended by an astounding number of residents, patrons, business owners, and community leaders. Many present did not find the short-term solutions that they hoped for and thus, as a response, this group was formed.
We are a group of concerned citizens who have come together with what we consider a short-term solution to keeping our neighborhood safe and welcoming. We encourage others to organize separate, committed groups and look forward to working with these groups.
Our plan, as it stands at this point (and with the expectation that this plan is likely to change as more people become involved and contribute to the discussion), is to encourage dog owners and non-dog owners in Lakeview to come together at scheduled times throughout the evening and walk the neighborhood streets, keeping eyes preened for suspicious, disruptive, and criminal activity that poses a threat to area safety. We will never intervene physically or verbally, we will only document and report what we see to the police and public. Through Facebook and other social media we plan to alert residents to activity in the area, as well as being in contact with the police.
THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS THIS GROUP CAN ACHIEVE IS A QUICKER RESPONSE TIMES TO VIOLENT CRIMES BY THE POLICE, as well as assisting them in anyway possible in any investigations by providing witness accounts, video evidence (hopefully from multiple angles), and photographic evidence.
Visit our Facebook page for more information and to give any feedback or suggestions:
http://www.facebook.com/Boystowndogwalkers
Or e-mail us at:
boystowndogwalkers@gmail.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/BDCAP
Thanks for your support!
We had quite a full weekend, launching the Friday groups and spreading the word around the neighborhood. On Friday we stopped by Taverna 750 and picked up a bunch of poop bags and organic treats, donated by poopbags.com. The dogs (and owners) were thankful for the thought! On Friday and Saturday we were able to send out 3 groups each, with an especially strong group at the 1AM shift. We flagged down a patrol to help a very intoxicated young woman who was drunkenly laying in bushes across the street from the Abbott Hotel, with a trail of vomit leading to her. We also saw a very quick police response time no one of the later shifts when there was a group of people loitering and harassing passersby by Fitness Formula Club on Halsted. It was great to see so many new faces along with some of our regulars and we're happy to say that all the dogs are getting along great!
