WEST LOOP COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION: Civil Unrest Updates & Business Resources

West Loop Community Organization issued the following announcement on Aug. 10.

Businesses are not required to close, taxi and ride-hail service can continue, and residents and workers will have access to the downtown area during this time through specific access points. However, businesses throughout the city should take extra precautions and work with their local Chicago Police District to determine area concerns.

To ensure that we protect our neighborhoods, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) will be working with other City agencies to deploy resources throughout the city. Officers will be working 12-hour shifts, and all days off have been canceled. All businesses and residents should call 9-1-1 to report criminal activity and to help CPD deploy personnel.

Businesses throughout the City should be cautiously prepared for criminal activity and property damage:

• Every business owner should sign up for the CHIBIZ Emergency Alert system by texting “CHIBIZ” to 6-7-2-8-3 or by visiting chicago.gov/chibizalerts. Through this program, business owners will receive targeted emergency alerts.
• Consider closing your business early, covering windows to prevent damage, and removing items of value.
• Consult with your local CPD District for specific recommendations.
• Familiarize yourself with your insurance policy to ensure that you have the proper coverage and to understand the steps that you would need to take in the event that your property is damaged.
• Businesses should call 9-1-1 in case of emergency to assist CPD in directing resources quickly and effectively to targeted areas. If you have hired security personnel, please make sure that they are cooperating with CPD and are not taking matters into their own hands.

Businesses that had their property damaged should take the following steps:

• Notify your insurance company and your broker/agent about the facts of your claim.
• Collect documentation (e.g. photos, inventory documentation, security footage).
• Prevent further damage by boarding/covering windows and removing items of value.
• Familiarize yourself with your insurance policy.

In response to last night’s events, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) will be conducting an enforcement mission targeting secondhand retailers and cell phone stores to ensure that they are not selling stolen items. As a reminder, all establishments that sell secondhand items must be licensed by BACP as a Secondhand Dealer. Furthermore, each transaction must be recorded, with additional descriptive information required for jewelry, cell phones and other valuable items. These rules help prevent the sale of stolen merchandise and BACP will be holding all secondhand retailers accountable to these regulations.

Original source can be found here.