Teens are running wild in the streets. Chicago's Gold Coast residents live in fear of attack. The Magnificent Mile has become a haven for group muggings.
Garry McCarthy, this is your life.
After sailing through a committee hearing earlier this week, the former head of the Newark police department on Wednesday easily won approval from the full council and was named Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
But don't be surprised if the rash of muggings that's been plaguing some of the city over the past week become a topic of conversation.
McCarthy addressed a series of weekend attacks that left four victims bewildered, beaten and without their iPods and wallets. He downplayed the seriousness of the crimes.
"I just went through a situation in Newark where it became fashionable to perform car jacking," he said. "We broke that very, very quickly with different methodologies. ... we have to knock this out and we have to knock it out quickly."
Then Tuesday more attacks were reported. Chicago police news affairs said a two city buses had been raided by the mobs, and late Tuesday a group of teens attacked two pedestrians near Wabash and Chicago Avenue.
McCarthy, who signed on with the Rahm Emanuel administration for a salary of $260,004, according to figures obtained by the Chicago News Cooperative, will need to outline a more specific strategy before the City Council this morning, if only to put fears at ease.
