New 16th District police commander meets with Jefferson Park group

by BRIAN NADIG

When it comes to how safe a community is, public perception cannot be ignored, according to recently appointed 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District commander Robert Vanna.

“What matters most is how you feel out in your neighborhoods,” Vanna said at the Aug. 28 meeting of the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association. “Regardless of what (the crime stats are), everyone in the community wants to feel safe.”

When it comes to developing crime-fighting strategies and allocating resources, the district’s success will depend on its outreach to the community and residents’ willingness to call 911 when they see suspicious activity and to work together with police, Vanna said “Personally I think it’s about communication. I need the calls for service and know what you’re seeing. … I have limited resources,” Vanna said. He added that the 16th District is “very police friendly” and investigations may rely on footage from home surveillance cameras.

Officers deal with a variety of quality-of-life issues and can serve as “that conduit” which connects a neighborhood with the proper agency, whether to bring homeless outreach or other services out to an area, Vanna said.

Vanna was appointed to the district in July. “It’s been really amazing,” Vanna said of the welcome he’s received. “I’m very happy to be here … a lot of high energy.”

The size of the district is unusual compared to others in the city, Vanna said. “It’s 200,000 people spread out over 26 square miles,” he said. “It’s a big district with a bunch of different neighborhoods.”

Vanna, who grew up on the South Side but now lives on the Northwest Side, has served 33 years on the Chicago police force.

“I’m from a police family. My dad served 34 years,” Vanna said. “My entire existence has been police.”

He previously was commander of the 24th (Rogers Park) District and had worked in numerous departments, including the superintendent’s office, Bureau of Patrol and Internal Affairs, and served as a detective.

Vanna said that lengthy police careers like his will likely become a thing of the past and that the department will continue to focus on efficiency improvements — due newer technologies — that will help the overall operations of the department. He also noted that the Chicago Police Department uses civilians for about 6 percent of its workforce compared to about 25 to 30 percent in cities like Los Angeles and New York.

About 20 years ago the 16th District had about 270 officers but in more recent years the numbers have ranged from about 190 to 240.

One of the priorities is to make sure all beat cars are staffed each shift, and watch commanders have been doing a good job allocating resources, Vanna said.

Policing continues to evolve, with a much stronger reliance on video evidence than before, Vanna said. “That’s just the world we live in.”

• 
  Police search for reported suspects after exchange of gunfire between group and security guard working at Jefferson Park CTA terminal
  A private security guard working at the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., reportedly returned fire after a group of three people started harassing him and then fired their guns toward him during an incident at about 5:15 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, according to Chicago police. Officers reported finding 23 shell casings and
• 
  Man stabbed on CTA Blue Line near Harlem Ave.; suspects arrested in connection with car break-in on Victoria; man steals from car at gas station in Forest Glen
  A man was stabbed in his hand at about 4:50 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, on a CTA Blue Line train near the Harlem station, 5550 N. Harlem Ave., after a man with a knife allegedly stole his belongings and attacked him, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police. The 31-year-old man reported that he was
• 
  45th Ward Dems endorse S Gronkiewicz-Doran for alderperson
  by BRIAN NADIG 45th Ward Democratic Committeeperson Michael Rabbitt and his Dems 45 organization have endorsed Jefferson Park resident S Gronkiewicz-Doran in the ward’s aldermanic race, which will be held on Feb. 23, 2027. Incumbent Alderman James Gardiner, who is on leave from his firefighting job while he serves on the City Council, is seeking
• 
  New business in the works for former CVS site at Milwaukee & Lawrence in Jefferson Park
  by BRIAN NADIG A new business, possibly a daycare, is in the works for the former CVS Pharmacy at the southeast corner of Milwaukee and Lawrence avenues. The pharmacy closed in January of 2020, but CVS reportedly continued to pay rent for several years after the store’s closing. The site includes an approximately 10,000-square-foot building
• 
  Gunfire reported at Jefferson Park CTA Terminal on Saturday morning
  by BRIAN NADIG A possible suspect is in custody after gunfire was reported at or near the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., at about 5:20 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, according to Chicago police. Officers recovered four shell casings, and detectives are reviewing area surveillance footage, according to police. It’s not clear at

This is just part of today’s coverage. Get the full story - every article, every ad, every page. Subscribe now.

The Latest From Our Community