Gangs Hold Press Conference to Complain About Cops

How mainstream are the gangs in Chicago?  They're holding a press conference to complain the police are being mean to them:

Gang members themselves are the latest to come out against police Supt. Jody Weis' strategy to put pressure on them and curb gang violence.

At 10 a.m., gang members are expected to hold a news conference at the Columbus Park Refectory, at 5701 W. Jackson Blvd. on the city's West Side.

Gang members are also expected to attend another news conference that is being held by local clergy at 11 a.m., at the New Life Christian Ministries of Greater Chicago, 8201 S. Jeffery Blvd.

They are taking issue with Weis' strategy of meeting with gang leaders and warning them of serious consequences if violence continues.

Weis held a meeting with the reputed leaders of several West Side gangs at the Garfield Park Conservatory over the weekend. At the meeting, prosecutors warned that the gang members could be charged under the federal racketeering laws if killings were traced back to gangs with members attending the meeting.

The Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, RICO for short, provides stiffer penalties for acts performed as part of a criminal organization such as the Mafia.

But gang members say they were tricked into coming to the meeting, and that it amounted to harassment.

Back in the days when Los Angeles had a real police chief in Daryl Gates he went to war with the gangs and didn't take prisoners. The Rampart unit vigorously challenged the gangs and they did a lot of good work for city. Unfortunately, there were some abuses and in typical overreaction the city shut down the tough gang unit and the gangs flourished.  The City ended up with some federal judge telling them to play nice with gang members and things have run amok since then.