Gay And Lesbian Pride Parade 2012 Coverage

Good morning, everyone, it's 9:22am. It's a partly cloudy day with temps in the upper 70s, approaching 80. It'll get into the 80s today, with storms possible. Today, on this post, I'm going to be monitoring the Gay Pride Parade over in Uptown and Lakeview in the 19th District on Zone 2. I'm not certain what frequency or frequencies the parade will for sure be on, but I'm guessing it'll be on Zone 2. I'll be doing this coverage similar to how I did for the NATO Summit last month, and that is only write down calls and radio traffic related to the parade. I'll be monitoring until 5pm at the latest, unless there's some sort of real major incident, which I doubt will happen. With that said, here's coverage of the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.

10:07am - The parade steps off at 12:00pm at Montrose and Broadway.

10:11am - The parade detail is going to be on Citywide 6 today (460.250). Unfortunately, I'm not home right now, and won't be until about 1, so I can't turn my radio to that frequency until then.

10:29am - The officers detailed to the parade are being asked to switch over to Citywide 6 now.


11:10am - 1) A 19th District is trying to keep people off the street under the "L" at the Belmont station. 2) Dispatch wants to keep Beat cars 1925, 1933, 1934 and 1935 east of the parade route if possible. 3) They're shutting Belmont down now at Halsted.


11:11am - The parade route is as follows: South on Broadway from Montrose to Halsted (Grace), then south on Halsted to Belmont, then east on Belmont to Broadway, then down Broadway to Diversey, and finally east on Diversey to Cannon Dr./Sherdian.


11:50am - Disturbance. 44XX N Racine. Group in the alley urinating and drinking.


11:54am - The 19th District Command Post needs a unit to pick up eight barricades. Beat 1972 is being asked to do that.


11:58am - As of this point, all 19th District units will not be allowed to take anymore lunches.


12:00pm - The parade should be starting now.


12:03pm - Information for the CPD. 2800 N Orchard. Bottled beer and water being sold.


12:22pm - Disturbance. 3332 N Broadway. Problem with the TMA.


12:32pm - EMS run. 3726 N Broadway. In the rear. Glass fell from an apartment or a window and fell onto a female. She's bleeding a lot, head trauma.


12:34pm - Beat 1971 is being instructed to pick up bottles of water at the 19th District Command Post and take it to the officers at Halsted and Broadway.


12:36pm - Battery in progress. Wilson and Broadway. TMA is reporting a group of four to five people fighting.

12:40pm - A slow down is being given on the 12:36pm job.

12:46pm - Beat 1910 needs EMS at 3136 N Broadway for a man having a seizure.

12:56pm - Disturbance. Clark and Fletcher. Group of people are urinating on the caller's property and are getting out of hand.

1:08pm - EMS run. Addison and Halsted. Woman drank too much and is passed out at the Shell gas station.

1:09pm - Disturbance. 2514 N Lincoln. Three females with body paint on them are walking topless.

1:11pm - Disturbance. 3208 N Halsted. Very large crowd having trouble getting by, caller's afraid someone's going to get crushed.

1:21pm - EMS run. Broadway and Diversey. Female passed out because of the heat.

1:24pm - Shots Fired. Montrose and Sherdian. Seven to eight shots.

1:25pm - Dispatch is asking Beat 1900, the 19th District Commander, where to send the wagon with the water for the officers. He's trying to figure that out now.

1:26pm - Beat 1960 is giving a disregard on the 1:24pm job. There's no shots.

1:27pm - Beat car 1933 is saying that a 75 year old male needs EMS somewhere, he passed out because of heat exhaustion.

1:30pm - Beat car 1931 needs EMS in front of Roscoe's at 3356 N Halsted. Someone passed out because of the heat.

1:33pm - Battery in progress. Halsted and Belmont. Very big fight.

1:45pm - A unit has a big fight breaking out at Montrose and Broadway.

1:47pm - Officers need more help at Montrose/Broadway. The scene is completely out of control. 19th District Command Post is being advised to contact Beat 41Nora to send in reinforcements.

1:51pm - Belmont needs to be cleared heading east towards Halsted. It's getting out of control. They just had a fight to break out over there.

1:53pm - Dispatchers are switching out now. Third Watch is sitting down.

1:54pm - Holding the offender. 3356 N Halsted. Security's holding someone for battery, victim is on scene and wants to press charges.

1:55pm - The last floats are approaching the end of the parade route. Also, there's an 18 year old female passed out Broadway and Grace due to heat exhaustion.

1:57pm - Belmont still needs to be cleared out. Around Halsted. Crowd needs to move east.

2:06pm - The parade's being held up at 3300 N Halsted because someone collapsed in the middle of the street. EMS personnel are attending to the person now.

2:16pm - 1) EMS run. 3519 N Halsted. Intoxicated female. 2) Disturbance. 6XX W Briar. Several people urinating into the caller's yard. 3) Person calling for help. Halsted/Belmont. Woman states she's being suffocated over there by the crowds.

2:17 through 2:24pm - Numerous EMS requests being made. There's one on Cambridge, one on Briar, another on Buckingham.

2:34pm - We've got people heading west on Belmont towards the "L" now, so they're hoping they can start clearing the crowd out now.

2:35pm - 1) EMS run. 3641 N Halsted. Unresponsive male. There's a unit there with him too. 2) There's a missing .

2:36pm - 1) Getting a report of a fight at 3340 N Halsted, at Post #32. 2) Battery in progress. 3232 N Halsted. Big fight.

2:38pm - Beat 1960 wants the 1761 team, that was just sent in to help, to go down Broadway to Irving Park, then back down to Irving Park to Sheridan, and head up Sheridan.

2:41pm - EMS needed at 27XX N Pine Grove now.

2:43pm - EMS needed at 611 W Roscoe for a 44 year old female passed out.

2:44pm - Assist units needed at 3340 N Halsted. Large crowd getting out of hand over there.

2:46pm - They're still calling for help at 3340 on Halsted. Large fight, it's getting crazy. Dispatch is asking for all and any available units to head that way.

2:52pm - We've got a fight. Brompton and Halsted. It's getting out of hand.

3:03pm - The arresting officers from the Brompton/Halsted incident have a dilemma going on. They can't push past the crowd to get that prisoner to the wagon, and the wagon can't get to them, so they're going to have to go around.

3:06pm - Beat 1961 is telling 1967Eddie to go around the parade to get that prisoner.

3:08pm - 1) Disturbance. 3760 N Halsted. Man causing a problem. 2) Disturbance. 3000 N Clark.

3:28pm - Montrose is now open, and Beat 1900 is telling all 14th and 16th District Tac units to report to 19 until something happens.

3:30pm - Assault. Halsted and Broadway.

3:32pm - EMS needed at Wellington and Broadway as well as Halsted/Belmont.

3:35pm - 1) EMS needed at 3900 N Sheridan. Citizen cut their foot stepping on a bottle. 2) Battery in progress. 3349 N Halsted. In the alley.

3:37pm - We're getting reports of a large crowd at 3212 N Halsted acting rowdy.

3:38pm - Assault. 6XX W Oakdale. Female White, 25, purple shirt, heavy set, just threatened the caller.

3:42pm - Battery in progress. 3312 N Halsted. Group of people beating up a citizen.

3:45pm - EMS needed at 3344 N Halsted. Woman having a seizure.

3:47pm - The last float just went through the intersection of Halsted/Belmont, and they've lost the street. The crowd just knocked down the barricades and are now in the street.

3:48pm - The crowd over at Halsted/Belmont is overwhelming right now, so Beat 1999 wants all officers to leave them there unless something erupts in the crowd.

3:49pm - Beat 1461 and his team are being dispatched to Belmont and Clark to handle a large crowd coming that way. And, 1661's team is being dispatched to the CTA station over at 945 on Belmont.

3:58pm - 1) Battery in progress. Clark and Wellington. 2) Beat 41Sam39 is saying that there's a fight between Buckingham and Aldine on Halsted. 3) Battery in progress. 712 W Roscoe.

3:59pm - The 712 Roscoe is coded out 19Eddie per 1960. The offenders just left.

4:00pm - Oh, lord. We've got a crowd throwing things off a balcony at 3310 N Halsted. Per 1960.

4:02pm - A float just lost it's wheel at 2945 N Broadway.

4:05pm - A female officer is giving a flash from the 3:42pm incident. Wanted are two male Hispanics. One is 6 feet tall, 230 lbs with yellow-striped polo shirt, and he might be carrying a handgun. The other guy was 5'4, 140 lbs with black curly hair and sunglasses.

4:07pm - Another citizen just cut their foot on glass at 3354 N Halsted.

4:17pm - TMAs needed at Montrose and LSD.

4:20pm - 1) There's a bunch of people loitering at Halsted and Roscoe, but at Halsted/Belmont, the people are starting to move. The crowd's gotten a bit bigger, but they're moving. 2) Battery in progress. 654 W Roscoe. Paramedics involved.

4:21pm - There's a big fight at Broadway and Halsted per Beat 460.

4:23pm - A slow down is being given at Broadway/Halsted.

4:24pm - 1960 needs the 1961 and 1967 teams to get into their cars to become a mobile team for the "in progress" calls.

4:26pm - PH 2 is saying that the tail end of the parade is now at Diversey and Cannon Dr. A majority of the crowds are in this area now.

4:28pm - 1) The buses on Simmonds Drive need to be rerouted now. They're setting up for the Rock Fest over there. This is at Montrose Harbor, at about Cricket Hill. 2) PH 2 is reporting that everything is pretty much clear north of Irving Park as of now. Everything's moving south.

4:30pm - Beat 2Adam is reporting that there's a battery offender that needs to be taken in at 3641 N Halsted.

4:32pm - Beat 41Nora20 is reporting that a protest at the Burger King at Pine Grove and Diversey looks all good. The officers are about to escort them to their vehicles so they can leave. 1960 was asking about this.

4:33pm - 1960 wants 41N20's team to go mobile once they clear that protest out.

4:34pm - 1) 460 is coding out his 4:21pm incident as a 5Frank. He thanks all the assisting officers. 2) Request for a supervisor. Montrose and Broadway. Caller says CPD is punching her.

4:35pm - Transport car needed at Clark and Belmont for two arrests. Beat 1973 is on the way.

4:40pm - Post 1 is asking 1960 the best way to get into the Montrose Harbor off of Wilson. She's got two carloads of band members asking her.

4:42pm - PH 2 is reporting that there's crowds of people loitering at the corners of Cornelia, Roscoe, Buckingham and Belmont on Halsted.

4:43pm - EMS needed at the main stage at Montrose Harbor. A woman keeps falling out and having seizures.

4:49pm - EMS needed at 3641 N Halsted. Dispatch is sending them now.

4:54pm - The street sweepers are starting to sweep Clark and Broadway. Clark is closed southbound between Addison and Halsted.

4:58pm - Beat 1967David needs a wagon at 36XX N Wilton immediately. They need some help.

4:59pm - 1967D is giving a disregard on Wilton. They're okay. His partner was just real mad. The wagon is coming.

5:00pm - Beat 3Charlie has a woman who just fell out of a window at Roscoe's, 3356 on Halsted.

5:01pm - 3C says that CFD is going into Roscoe's now. He's going in with two officers.

5:02pm - Holding the offender. 3356 N Halsted. At Roscoe's. Two women being held for attacking the manager.

5:03pm - 1967D's thing was battery to a P.O. They're all going into 19 now.

5:05pm - EMS is needed for 1967D. One of the officers on that car is injured following their incident on Wilton.

5:06pm - Tac team being requested for 3356 on Halsted.

5:12pm - There's supposed to be a big fight at Barry and Broadway now. It's in the 7-Eleven. A couple of units are calling this one in.

5:14pm - Beats 41Charlie70, 41C72 and 41C73 are released. They're thanked for their help.

5:15pm - All 4100 Tac teams are released per 1960.

5:16pm - Foot team 1 is released. These are Posts 1Boy, 1Charlie and 1David.

5:19pm - EMS needed at the 5:12pm incident.

5:23pm - EMS run. 3460 N Broadway. In the Treasure Island Foods. Man passed out.

5:43pm - PH 2 is released per 1960. He thanks them for their hard work today.

5:47pm - Two more teams are released. Sounds like all of this is beginning to wind up.

5:48pm through 5:51pm - Dispatch and 1967D were mobling with each other about the RD number and everything from their incident. An RD number was pulled for a "0484" and it's HV351089.

5:52pm - And just when I thought things were slowing down ... 1960 is asking Dispatch to have Beats 1963 and 1969, the night Tac teams, to send their units over to Broadway and Aldine for a large crowd acting up.

5:54pm - EMS needed at Addison and Wilton for a teenager passed out.

5:55pm - Transport unit needed at 804 W Roscoe.

6:03pm - Disturbance. 3207 N Clark. Group throwing things from a porch.

6:04pm - Beat 1961Adam was at the 6:03pm job and is coding it a 19Adam, there's nothing going on.

6:18pm - TMA 7 would like to open up traffic at Halsted and Addison going both directions on Addison. Dispatch will get a car from Zone 2.

6:21pm - Post #9 needs EMS in the parking lot of Montrose Harbor. He's got a pregnant female having a seizure.

6:23pm - The official event number for the parade is 05888.

6:24pm - 1) A Tac unit is asking if they're released yet. 2) Ambulance 40 is asking where Post #9 is at, per Beat 41Nora10. Dispatch tells 41N10 to tell them where it is.

6:25pm - 1960 is saying that until further notice, per 1900 or 41Nora, no outside Tac units will be released.

6:31pm - Beat car 1125 and Beat 1558 are being asked to move their vehicles from the middle of the street on Addison.

6:32pm - Beat 41Charlie20David needs EMS at Sheridan and Broadway for a drunk man. Dispatch is notifying the proper authorities now.

6:33pm - Dispatch is asking Post #9 something about Montrose Harbor, something about triple A batteries.

6:34pm - 1) 1900 is releasing all Second Watch outside Tac units. He thanks them for their efforts today. 2) 1900 is saying that the Third Watch incident cars are still working, and they still have Squads 1 through 4 ready to march still. They'll start releasing them shortly.

6:40pm - 1967A has an accident at Broadway and Barry. No EMS needed.

6:42pm - Report of a young man having a seizure on Simmonds Drive near Montrose.

6:45pm - Ok, we've got a fight now. Cricket Hill at Montrose Harbor. Actually, there's multiple fights breaking out. More officers needed. This is at that Rocks Fest thing.

6:46pm - The fights can be located west of the beach, north of the bridge. Beat 41C30 is telling all of the 41C20 and 41C30 teams to respond over there.

6:47pm - They're near the horseshoe, near the bike path. Also, EMS is needed. Someone's been knocked out.

6:48pm - 2460 and some other officers are trying to locate the fights now.

6:49pm - Another person injured at the fights. Woman suffered a cut to the foot. She cut her foot on some glass.

6:50pm - 2460 and company found the fights. They're taking action now.

6:51pm - EMS is needed at 3319 N Broadway for an unresponsive female.

6:52pm - 2460 says there wasn't a fight. There was an argument and someone fell out in the middle of it.

6:54pm - EMS is trying to locate 2460 and everyone. They're by the harbor itself. There's multiple ambulances on scene when only one was requested. They have an ambulance over by them already.

7:02pm - Engine 55 has a combative patient at Cornelia and Halsted. Tac team requested.

7:05pm - Apparently there WERE fights on Cricket Hill at Montrose Harbor, because Beat 41Nora70 has another fight in progress. Sounds chaotic, too. The fight's moving down the bike path.

7:06pm - The fight's on the Wilson bridge now.

7:07pm - Beat car 2521 is reporting that there's a fight in the alley at Halsted and Buckingham.

7:09pm - A TMA is asking a unit if they can open up Halsted between Addison and Roscoe. The officer would like to talk with that TMA's supervisor before making a decision like that.

7:10pm - Beat 1Charlie20Charlie has a handwaver at Wilson and Broadway. It's a CTA driver, who's saying that there is some sort of disturbance aboard the bus. They're checking it out now.

7:12pm - An officer and dispatch are discussing the 7:09pm thing. The officer wants a CPD supervisor to come by. About 20 seconds later, 1900 is saying that northbound traffic only can be opened up on Halsted between Roscoe and Addison. No southbound traffic is to go through yet.

7:13pm - 1C20C is coding out the bus disturbance. 19Frank.

7:14pm - Post #1 is saying that there's an accident at LSD and Wilson, in the parking lot. It's just east of LSD on Wilson.

7:15pm - Halsted and Addison are now all clear. 1125 and 1558 are being asked to move their vehicles from in front of 19.

7:20pm - Post #35 is now released, as well as Post #30.

7:21pm - Post #1 is giving a flash for a missing person from Montrose Harbor at the staging area. Missing is Ashley Richardson, 20 years old, birthdate of 26-March-92, last seen wearing a blue vest and blue cargo shorts with a peace sign on the back of the vest, with short locks. She's intoxicated and possibly fell asleep under a tree.

7:24pm - Post #4 is asking who asked for ambulance 35 over at Cricket Hill over in Montrose Harbor.

7:25pm through 7:30pm - Post #1, 1960 and dispatch are having a dispute over an accident, ambulance 35, locating an ambulance, getting the sick/injured party to the ambulance, etc. Chaotic much?

7:31pm - Beat 860 and his team are released. Post #3 is also released along with their team.

7:34pm - 2460 is saying that they're going to have on-site paramedics in the future for an event like this at Montrose Harbor because it's impossible to move people around and what not, and then the traffic is horrible. Plus, there's officers from the southside who are unfamiliar with the area working the detail. He's going to write a formal complaint.

7:35pm - Beat 1907 is asking if she can open up all of Halsted. Dispatch is asking 1900 now.

7:36pm - ALL of Halsted is to be opened per 1900.

7:39pm - Reckless driver. Cornelia and Halsted. Car with a plate of P11Q92 is speeding in the area, driver is possibly drunk. Job read out for officer's safety.


7:51pm - A unit is running a name at 4600 N. Simmonds Drive, near the fest.


7:53pm - Beat car 1711 is asking if they're released yet. 1900 says no because they're part of the incident team. The incident team is working until 1900 says it's ok to go.


7:55pm - Broadway is still closed north of Diversey, and Diversey is still closed east of Diversey.


7:56pm - Dispatch is reminding all units to hold their posts until 1900 gives them the ok to go.


7:58pm - I'm finally going for a break now. I'll be back in about 15 to 20 minutes. I need to get away from the radio though.

8:20pm - I'm back.

8:27pm - The 1963 and 1969 teams are being released and are being asked to switch back to Zone 2.

8:38pm - 1907 is requesting a wagon for a transport at 3351 N Halsted. 1972 is heading that way.

9:00pm - Just so everyone knows, the radio has gotten really quiet. If it stays like this until 9:30, I will end my coverage and go back over to Zone 12 for the night.

9:07pm - Beat 1760 and his team are being released, as well as several other teams.

9:08pm - The 1907 team is being released also.

9:09pm - The officers are commending the dispatchers for a job well done today.

9:12pm - 1907 needs EMS at Halsted and Roscoe. Man down.

9:13pm - 2460 is saying that the company that's renting the tents out for the fest can go in there now and start to take them down so they can end the fest.

9:14pm - Post #27 says that a citizen just came up to them and said that a male Hispanic with a red shirt and blue jeans just stole someone's iPhone at Montrose and LSD. He's taller and has a beard. He ran east through the park, heading towards Cricket Hill. Beat car 1913 is the paper car on this, they're heading over now.

9:19pm - The 1906 bike team is now at the fest, ready to help assist clear out the crowds when the fest ends.

9:26pm - Post #27's thing is going to be coded. Victim wants no CPD service.

9:45pm - 2460 wants all personnel assigned to the fest to meet him on Montrose near the parking lot of the harbor.

9:53pm - The dispatchers are now switching out. First watch is sitting down. The officers thank the Third Watch dispatchers for all of their hard work today.

10:00pm - Ok, I'm signing off, at least for now. If a major incident unfolds and I'm made aware of it, I'll come back. If not, please go to the post below to read about crime in other parts of the city going on. Thanks for tuning in today!