The letter to the editor “Remind me why I moved to Oak Park” saddened me. [Viewpoints, July 1] I have lived her for 12 years, and while I enjoy many, many things about this community (and feel honored to live in the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway and among so many gorgeous homes including those of Frank Lloyd Wright), I could feel the writer’s frustration as I too have that feeling from time to time.
The same issue of the paper had the headline “Four battered by thugs during robberies,” and another story about a robbery with a box cutter as a weapon. Oak Park has a problem with criminals who do not hesitate to use force and display weapons. I have lived in other urban communities, but the amount and type of crime against our residents here in Oak Park is alarming. I have voiced my support to the village board for public cameras in the past, and the response has been that there is not widespread support in the community for this.
The City of Chicago has hundreds of anti-crime cameras that monitor areas of the city and have proven to deter and reduce crime. I do not know why Oak Park cannot employ public cameras to help keep its residents safe. It would be an efficient way for the village police department to monitor more of the community, and send a strong anti-crime message throughout the village. If other local citizens believe anti-crime cameras similar to those in Chicago should be deployed on the streets of our village, I urge them to contact our village representatives.
Melanie Weiss
Oak Park
