Sluggo892
02-06-2010, 01:36 AM
Panhandler who regularly works CTA Green Line arrested 178 times
Riders express safety concerns; police rarely jail man despite repeat offenses
Clarence Ervin
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/thumbnails/story/2010-02/52046625-04201019.jpg
February 4, 2010
Clarence Ervin had panhandled on CTA trains all night, and he looked like it.
Cold and bleary-eyed, he said he was afraid of getting caught a surprising sentiment for a man who has been arrested 178 times, according to police and court records.
Ervin, 52, has amassed charges ranging from panhandling on trains and disorderly conduct to drug possession and assault and battery, the records show.
He is a source of widespread fear among riders on the Green Line between the Loop and Oak Park.
"Clarence is not a bad guy,'' Ervin said, speaking sympathetically in the third person, as he exited a Green Line train at Laramie on Wednesday and boarded another going in the opposite direction to continue begging for and demanding money. "He got a raw deal. He's homeless. He's a United States Marine disabled veteran, and he needs help. He don't want to get in more trouble.''
In truth, the law has not given Ervin much trouble. After arresting him on misdemeanor offenses, Chicago police immediately released Ervin on his own recognizance more than 100 times, instead of holding him over for a bail hearing, according to court records. The practice comes as the Police Department expands and pushes efforts to train officers in crisis intervention, including mental health and veterans issues.
Ervin rarely shows up for his court dates. Officials dropped charges against him in more than 130 cases. When cases are not dismissed Ervin has been convicted, often in absentia, about 25 percent of the time.
So if anyone should fear justice, it might be his victims. In a city with bigger crimes and criminals, little is accomplished to safeguard the public from a panhandler who riders say is behaving increasingly hostile.
"Although I have been trained to ignore what happens on the Green Line after taking it for so many years, this guy is getting more and more aggressive by the encounter,'' said Christie, a CTA customer who asked not to be fully identified for safety reasons.
David, another regular Green Line rider, said: "I always ride in the front car of the train and in the back of my mind is the question: 'Is today the day I have to fight?' This guy doesn't have a lot to lose, but I do.''
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2010-02/52046626.jpg
Pan-handler Clarence Ervin encourages me to "keep taking pictures and send me the pictures" on the CTA's Green Line Wednesday. Ervin is constantly getting in trouble with the law, has been arrested numerous times. He can be verbally and physically abusive at times. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune / February 2, 2010)
Ervin who served a year in the Marine Corps Reserve in the mid-1970s and says he struggles with drug abuse, homelessness and psychological problems remains virtually free to beg from anyone who crosses his path.
Most recently arrested on Jan. 21 for soliciting and begging on the platform of the Austin station of the Green Line, Ervin said Wednesday that he needed to panhandle until Saturday, when he expected to receive a check from the Veterans Affairs.
Coins jingled in the pockets of his military camouflage pants as he used the emergency doors to walk through the "L'' cars.
"Look what this one lady just gave me,'' he said to a Tribune reporter, showing a handful of quarters. "I need it for my babies. Three dollars for a gallon of milk. That's $6 for two gallons and $12 for four gallons.''
The woman he approached, traveling with a young boy, did not appear to make a voluntary donation. She held the boy close to her as Ervin bent down and hovered inches away. She exhaled, noticeably, and muttered in Spanish to the boy when Ervin moved on to the next passenger.
Ervin, who said he makes an average of $55 a day panhandling, said part of the reason he begs is to support three daughters and three sons. He declined to provide their names or other information, other than that two sons are living in Peoria.
Ervin is a frequent customer at the currency exchange on Central and Chicago avenues, a few blocks from the halfway house where he lives. His stories are usually the samehis mother died, his aunt is sick or he needs bus fare to get to the VA and pick up his medicine, said Charmaine Martin, who works at the currency exchange.
"He would use that 'mama and auntie' stuff so much I started to wonder how many mamas you got," Martin said. "We never heard him use the kid story or talk about having kids. That probably works downtown on the 'L', but it doesn't work here.''
Ervin's record stretches to 1984 in the Chicago area. He served one year of a two-year sentence at state penitentiaries in Dixon and Stateville in 2005 and 2006 for drug possession, records show. He spent brief periods in Cook County Jail.
"When you get to 100-plus arrests, you are talking about a different kind of criminal,'' said Chicago police Sgt. Eddie Perez, whose officers have arrested Ervin numerous times. Perez heads up a tactical team in the department's public transportation section.
The practice by Chicago police of arresting and releasing suspects such as Ervin on personal recognizance, or I-bonds, is allowed under an Illinois Supreme Court rule 553, called "rule of court bond.''
Ervin was arrested 11 times in 2009. In eight of the cases, he was released by the Police Department on a rule-of-court I-bond, records show. He did not appear for his court dates all eight times.
He was arrested 17 times in 2008 all resulting in I-bonds, the court records show.
Chicago police spokesman Roderick Drew did not directly respond to questions regarding why the department relies heavily on a policy that allows potentially violent repeat offenders to walk free.
"One issue we are dealing with is the small number of chronic nonviolent offenders frequenting the CTA system,'' Drew said. "In addition to arrests, the department will be working with the CTA and the judicial system to prevent these offenders from accessing CTA property.
"This step, in addition to other improvements such as high-definition cameras on CTA platforms, more transit detail officers and canine units, and other security enhancements announced by the CTA will ensure that passengers are safe."
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans said a judge setting bail has more options to protect the public than police who simply release defendants back into the community.
"Someone charged with assault can be ordered to stay away from the victim, in addition to posting a cash bond or being placed on electronic monitoring,'' Evans said. "Or someone charged with panhandling on the 'L' can also be banned from using the CTA system."
Judges commonly find Ervin in default for failing to appear in court. They fine him and sometimes issue an arrest warrant. He doesn't pay his fines, and if he is picked up on an outstanding warrant, he is often sentenced to time served at his next court date, the records show.
The exception to the arrest-and-release policy occurs primarily when Oak Park or Forest Park police make the arrest. In those instances, Ervin usually is jailed and brought to court, where judges find probable cause to detain him.
In Chicago, street cops such as Perez are frustrated because they believe more cooperation is needed from the court system to treat aggressive begging and other misdemeanor crimes as more than just a nuisance.
"Most judges are reluctant to house guys like this (in jail),'' Perez said.
Yet tactical officers working to catch offenders are not undermined by the courts, but by their own district watch commanders and other police officials who release defendants on I-bonds regardless of their criminal history and the likelihood they will strike again, according to judicial sources.
Until the law enforcement and judicial system finds a way to effectively deal with Ervin and other aggressive panhandlers, riders on the Green Line will likely continue to experience a rough ride.
Dennis, a regular Green Line rider, said he is approached frequently by Ervin, sometimes more than once a day.
"He is very aggressive about just getting in your face. And if indeed he is on medication, as he says, I worry that he might go further with his intimidation when he is not on his meds,'' Dennis said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-met-green-line-panhandler-20100204,0,5210727,full.story
Aggressive panhandling, AKA robbery.
Imagine your mother/wife/sister/daughter traveling back and forth to work and having to deal with this guy. I guarantee that after dealing with these types of people for a very short period of time, anyone will become prejudiced, even other black people.
Riders express safety concerns; police rarely jail man despite repeat offenses
Clarence Ervin
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/thumbnails/story/2010-02/52046625-04201019.jpg
February 4, 2010
Clarence Ervin had panhandled on CTA trains all night, and he looked like it.
Cold and bleary-eyed, he said he was afraid of getting caught a surprising sentiment for a man who has been arrested 178 times, according to police and court records.
Ervin, 52, has amassed charges ranging from panhandling on trains and disorderly conduct to drug possession and assault and battery, the records show.
He is a source of widespread fear among riders on the Green Line between the Loop and Oak Park.
"Clarence is not a bad guy,'' Ervin said, speaking sympathetically in the third person, as he exited a Green Line train at Laramie on Wednesday and boarded another going in the opposite direction to continue begging for and demanding money. "He got a raw deal. He's homeless. He's a United States Marine disabled veteran, and he needs help. He don't want to get in more trouble.''
In truth, the law has not given Ervin much trouble. After arresting him on misdemeanor offenses, Chicago police immediately released Ervin on his own recognizance more than 100 times, instead of holding him over for a bail hearing, according to court records. The practice comes as the Police Department expands and pushes efforts to train officers in crisis intervention, including mental health and veterans issues.
Ervin rarely shows up for his court dates. Officials dropped charges against him in more than 130 cases. When cases are not dismissed Ervin has been convicted, often in absentia, about 25 percent of the time.
So if anyone should fear justice, it might be his victims. In a city with bigger crimes and criminals, little is accomplished to safeguard the public from a panhandler who riders say is behaving increasingly hostile.
"Although I have been trained to ignore what happens on the Green Line after taking it for so many years, this guy is getting more and more aggressive by the encounter,'' said Christie, a CTA customer who asked not to be fully identified for safety reasons.
David, another regular Green Line rider, said: "I always ride in the front car of the train and in the back of my mind is the question: 'Is today the day I have to fight?' This guy doesn't have a lot to lose, but I do.''
http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2010-02/52046626.jpg
Pan-handler Clarence Ervin encourages me to "keep taking pictures and send me the pictures" on the CTA's Green Line Wednesday. Ervin is constantly getting in trouble with the law, has been arrested numerous times. He can be verbally and physically abusive at times. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune / February 2, 2010)
Ervin who served a year in the Marine Corps Reserve in the mid-1970s and says he struggles with drug abuse, homelessness and psychological problems remains virtually free to beg from anyone who crosses his path.
Most recently arrested on Jan. 21 for soliciting and begging on the platform of the Austin station of the Green Line, Ervin said Wednesday that he needed to panhandle until Saturday, when he expected to receive a check from the Veterans Affairs.
Coins jingled in the pockets of his military camouflage pants as he used the emergency doors to walk through the "L'' cars.
"Look what this one lady just gave me,'' he said to a Tribune reporter, showing a handful of quarters. "I need it for my babies. Three dollars for a gallon of milk. That's $6 for two gallons and $12 for four gallons.''
The woman he approached, traveling with a young boy, did not appear to make a voluntary donation. She held the boy close to her as Ervin bent down and hovered inches away. She exhaled, noticeably, and muttered in Spanish to the boy when Ervin moved on to the next passenger.
Ervin, who said he makes an average of $55 a day panhandling, said part of the reason he begs is to support three daughters and three sons. He declined to provide their names or other information, other than that two sons are living in Peoria.
Ervin is a frequent customer at the currency exchange on Central and Chicago avenues, a few blocks from the halfway house where he lives. His stories are usually the samehis mother died, his aunt is sick or he needs bus fare to get to the VA and pick up his medicine, said Charmaine Martin, who works at the currency exchange.
"He would use that 'mama and auntie' stuff so much I started to wonder how many mamas you got," Martin said. "We never heard him use the kid story or talk about having kids. That probably works downtown on the 'L', but it doesn't work here.''
Ervin's record stretches to 1984 in the Chicago area. He served one year of a two-year sentence at state penitentiaries in Dixon and Stateville in 2005 and 2006 for drug possession, records show. He spent brief periods in Cook County Jail.
"When you get to 100-plus arrests, you are talking about a different kind of criminal,'' said Chicago police Sgt. Eddie Perez, whose officers have arrested Ervin numerous times. Perez heads up a tactical team in the department's public transportation section.
The practice by Chicago police of arresting and releasing suspects such as Ervin on personal recognizance, or I-bonds, is allowed under an Illinois Supreme Court rule 553, called "rule of court bond.''
Ervin was arrested 11 times in 2009. In eight of the cases, he was released by the Police Department on a rule-of-court I-bond, records show. He did not appear for his court dates all eight times.
He was arrested 17 times in 2008 all resulting in I-bonds, the court records show.
Chicago police spokesman Roderick Drew did not directly respond to questions regarding why the department relies heavily on a policy that allows potentially violent repeat offenders to walk free.
"One issue we are dealing with is the small number of chronic nonviolent offenders frequenting the CTA system,'' Drew said. "In addition to arrests, the department will be working with the CTA and the judicial system to prevent these offenders from accessing CTA property.
"This step, in addition to other improvements such as high-definition cameras on CTA platforms, more transit detail officers and canine units, and other security enhancements announced by the CTA will ensure that passengers are safe."
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans said a judge setting bail has more options to protect the public than police who simply release defendants back into the community.
"Someone charged with assault can be ordered to stay away from the victim, in addition to posting a cash bond or being placed on electronic monitoring,'' Evans said. "Or someone charged with panhandling on the 'L' can also be banned from using the CTA system."
Judges commonly find Ervin in default for failing to appear in court. They fine him and sometimes issue an arrest warrant. He doesn't pay his fines, and if he is picked up on an outstanding warrant, he is often sentenced to time served at his next court date, the records show.
The exception to the arrest-and-release policy occurs primarily when Oak Park or Forest Park police make the arrest. In those instances, Ervin usually is jailed and brought to court, where judges find probable cause to detain him.
In Chicago, street cops such as Perez are frustrated because they believe more cooperation is needed from the court system to treat aggressive begging and other misdemeanor crimes as more than just a nuisance.
"Most judges are reluctant to house guys like this (in jail),'' Perez said.
Yet tactical officers working to catch offenders are not undermined by the courts, but by their own district watch commanders and other police officials who release defendants on I-bonds regardless of their criminal history and the likelihood they will strike again, according to judicial sources.
Until the law enforcement and judicial system finds a way to effectively deal with Ervin and other aggressive panhandlers, riders on the Green Line will likely continue to experience a rough ride.
Dennis, a regular Green Line rider, said he is approached frequently by Ervin, sometimes more than once a day.
"He is very aggressive about just getting in your face. And if indeed he is on medication, as he says, I worry that he might go further with his intimidation when he is not on his meds,'' Dennis said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-met-green-line-panhandler-20100204,0,5210727,full.story
Aggressive panhandling, AKA robbery.
Imagine your mother/wife/sister/daughter traveling back and forth to work and having to deal with this guy. I guarantee that after dealing with these types of people for a very short period of time, anyone will become prejudiced, even other black people.