Politics & Government

Joliet Councilman Calls Release of Crime Report 'Political Stunt' By Mayor

Mayoral hopeful accuses Giarrante of "political shenanigans."

A Joliet city councilman questioned the release of the Joliet Police Department's 13-year crime study at multi-family complexes in the city.

In a press release, District 2 councilman and downtown business owner Bob O’Dekirk talked of his "shock and disappointment," characterizing the release as "a political stunt by Mayor Tom Giarrante." 


According to the study, the violent crime rate at Evergreen Terrace is more than three times the citywide average. For nearly a decade, the city has been working to condemn the property, which it says will be redeveloped.

O'Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer who has said he plans to run against Giarrante in 2015, criticized comments the mayor made to WJOL. Giarrante said that while people can talk about how the situation at Evergreen is "not as bad as it used to be," there's a long way to go in terms of improving the crime rate, and that the situation could easily backslide or become even worse.

Giarrante also discussed his days as a Joliet firefighter, when he responded to emergency calls at the complex.

“This is an attempt by the mayor to skew data for political purposes," O'Dekirk said of the study. "It presents a negative image of Joliet and labels law abiding residents as criminals just because they live in subsidized housing."

The councilman said by advertising the crime statistics, the mayor is perpetuating a negative image of one of Joliet's toughest neighborhoods — adversely affecting people who call Joliet home. 

"I was shocked to hear that the mayor had sunk to this level with his habitual political shenanigans," O'Dekirk said in a statement sent to local media late Tuesday afternoon. "We are not Detroit, but the mayor continues to highlight the city’s weaknesses and not its strengths. I’m a downtown business owner myself. I guess according to the mayor I should leave. How does the mayor expect to attract or retain legitimate business when he puts out a report like this?"

Click here to view the full report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here