>>> DISRUPTED TRAFFIC, PROPERTY DAMAGE AND FIGHTING.

THAT WAS THE SCENE IN CHICAGO SATURDAY NIGHT AS LARGE CROWDS OF TEENS GATHERED DOWNTOWN AMID THE SUMMERLIKE TEMPERATURES.

POLICE SAY THE 15 ARRESTS WERE MADE.

THE UNRULY EVENTS HAVE LEFT CITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND RESIDENTS LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS IS THE FORMER ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO IS NOW A PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTANT AND CEO OF TRAJECTORY CHANGING SOLUTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> DO YOU THINK A COMBINATION OF INCREASED POLICE PATROLS AND INCREASED PRESENCE OF PEACEKEEPERS DOWNTOWN WOULD HELP TO REMEDY THIS KIND OF PROBLEM?

>> I DO THINK THAT ADDING MORE PEACEKEEPERS TO DOWNTOWN WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO DO THEIR THING FOR SURE.

I AM NOT PUSHING FOR INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO APPROACH THIS ISSUE WITH CARE AND LOVE AND CONCERN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY.

WITH THIS IN MIND, THERE ARE A FEW POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO UTILIZE HERE.

SUMMER HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET.

WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMING DOWNTOWN AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING YOUNG PEOPLE.

SO HOW CAN WE ADDRESS IT?

FIRST, THESE AREN'T IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT FIRST WE SHOULD ASSESS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR CAPACITY AND QUALITY.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GO DOWNTOWN, AND THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF QUALITY PROGRAMS.

SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS OPERATE ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS.

THERE ARE NO SATURDAY PROGRAMS.

THERE ARE NO SUNDAY PROGRAMS.

THEN WE HAVE THE QUESTION OF HOW ATTENTIVE THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE HAVE HEARD COMPLAINTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE DISENGAGED AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMS.

SO WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO BE THERE?

>> SO YOU ARE SAYING THERE SHOULD BE MORE COMMUNITY-BASED, ASSESSING NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS.

BUT WHAT WOULD ASSESSING THE PEACEKEEPERS LOOK LIKE DOWNTOWN?

>> THEY WOULD BE STATIONED DOWNTOWN PROACTIVELY IN PREPARATION FOR THE LARGE GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE DESCENDED DOWNTOWN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BORROWED THESE PEACEKEEPERS FROM COMMUNITIES.

WE BORROW THEM TO GO DOWNTOWN FROM COMMUNITIES.

THEIR COMMUNITIES NEED THEM TO BE THERE PRIVATELY.

BUT THE ADDITION OF A NEW TEAM THAT WOULD BE ASSIGNED JUST TO WORK DOWNTOWN FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, AND THEY ARE TRAINED.

THEY CAN DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS.

THEY CAN HANDLE SITUATIONS BEFORE THEY ESCALATE.

>> MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, LAST SUMMER, WHEN THIS ISSUE POPPED UP, SHE MENTIONED THE CURFEW INCREASING SLIGHTLY EARLIER, AND KIND OF ALERTING FOLKS WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT A CURFEW IS THE SOLUTION?

IS IT EVEN BEING ENFORCED?

>> WE HAVE HAD CURFEWS FOR DECADES, AND THERE ARE STILL YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT SHOOTING AND GETTING SHOT BETWEEN CURFEW TIMES.

SO I AM NOT SURE THAT IT IS A VIABLE SOLUTION.

>> TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLE OF PARENTING AND HOW TO ENGAGE FAMILIES.

>> I THINK WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH.

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS.

THERE IS LACK OF EMPLOYMENT.

THERE IS TRAUMA THAT FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED.

THERE IS UNSTABLE HOUSING.

WE HAVE TO GO DEEPER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FAMILIES ARE DOING WITH IF WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE SEE.

THE FAMILY SYSTEM IS NOT STRONG AND BEING SUPPORTED, THEN WE GET WHAT WE ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS LEFT.

WE HAVE RECOMMENDED HOSTING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH DOWNTOWN AS WELL.

WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE?

>> CHICAGO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DOWNTOWN.

WE NEED TO HOST ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME