chicago "aviation officers" are NOT part of the regular police force:

[niyad]

. . . .



The video of a passenger being dragged by an officer from a United Express flight shined an unwanted spotlight on the little-known police force that guards Chicago's two main airports and could threaten the agency's future.

Chicago's aviation officers are not part of the regular police force, unlike in many other big cities. They get less training than regular officers and can't carry firearms inside the airports. Three of them were put on leave amid outrage over how they treated the passenger.
. . . .

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2017-04-13/uproar-over-united-video-imperils-chicago-airport-police

[CincyDem]

1. And it's not like the Chicago cops are the gold standard for "well trained"...

...and these guys get 2 months less (4 vs. 6).

Not sure if it's still true but there was a time when airport cops were a real political football. Mayor Daley hated his SE side nemesis Eddie Vradolyak (sp??). Eddie had a brother Vic who was the city's #2 cop. Eddie crossed Daley on some probably trivial issue that Daley wanted so Daley had Vic sent out to O'hare to run the airport cops. Vic puts up a fuss but finally goes...and the start writing traffic tickets. And writing and writing and writing.

There were getting people for 3:10 in a 3 minute parking lane. Guy would get out of his car at arrivals, walk 15 feet to help pick up some luggage and he'd come back to a guy writing a ticket. This may not sound to far fetched in today's security zone but in the 70's it was unheard of. This went on for 2-3 weeks and there was wholesale fighting in the streets. Midway wasn't as big but they were doing the same thing. A month later, Vic was back downtown and the airport cops stood down.

O'hare has been a political football since is was annexed by the city (take a look at the map and you see the little island airport connected to the city by 2-3 miles of expressway) and a lot of alderman look at it as their personal little fiefdom for parking relatives, friends and political supporters. This is going to get ugly.

[niyad]

2. thank you for that fascinating history.

[CincyDem]

3. There' nothing like the combination of chicago cops and politics...

Just another quick story (since I like telling them and can still remember...lol).

'77-'78 or so. I'm in college playing in a band doing weddings, parties bar mitzvahs etc.

We get hired to play Vic Vradolyak's celebration party for becoming deputy chief or something like that. 8-11pm gig, nothing really memorable. we're at some place in the near western suburbs on Ogden ave with a hall and small little stage.

10:55pm a guy walks up to the stage and says to us "how much for another hour". 5 of us so the guy in charge says "$250". Done - so we keep going.

11:55pm, same guy walks up to us "how much for another hour". Party is still going strong, doesn't look like anyone's left. Couple guys aren't really interesting but the drummer says in charge says $500. This guy doesn't blink...peels off 5 100's and says let's go.

1:00am he starts walking up to the stage and the guitar play says, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, "I'm not playing another f'ing song". Guy gets to the stage and says..."I'll give ya $500 to get this stage cleared off in 5 minutes. Hell yes. What normally takes about 35-45 minutes of tearing stuff down...boom, we're done in 5. All the equipment out on the dance floor in front of the stage.

They come up, close the curtains and start a cash craps game against the back wall. Unbelievable. chief of police, a couple deputies, a couple alderman. Some guys who were probably fire department muckity mucks..they're on their knees blowing the dice, showing 10's and 20's like nickles. Looked like a scene out of the untouchables.

Probably the most I ever made in a single night but it made for a memorable story.

Anyway - couldn't resist telling it since my family has probably heard it enough to be sick of it. lol



Thanks for giving me a reason to remember it again lol

[niyad]

4. thank you for sharing this--glad you all had such a profitable night.