Corrupt Illinois by Thomas J. Gradel

Author:Thomas J. Gradel [Gradel, Thomas J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Published: 2015-05-03T22:00:00+00:00

Buccaneers in Blue

For nearly a century, Chicago’s political machines provided police protection for gambling and prostitution under vice lords like Michael McDonald and “Big Jim” Colisimo. In the 1920s, Prohibition led to beer-war violence and an alliance between Capone’s mob and Republican Mayor “Big Bill” Thompson. The 1930s New Deal saw the Democratic party taking power, while the alliance between city hall and Frank Nitti’s Outfit continued.

Since 1958, however, there has been a fundamental change in the principal pattern of police abuse and corruption. Historically, various crime outfits have paid off top cops, who shared the money with other police officers to protect various rackets like prostitution, gambling, and illegal saloons. Over the years we have seen police officers also participating in burglaries, extorting criminals, partnering with drug dealers, and operating drug rings. The later pattern has seen the proliferation of street gangs and drug sales and direct payoffs of the beat cops and special gang and drug police units.

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