Wicker Park, Bucktown Businesses To Send Staff To Patrol Streets

CHICAGO, IL — A new Wicker Park and Bucktown program is launching in April to encourage businesses to send employees on scheduled patrols in their neighborhoods. Many similar ambassador programs hire full-time security officers to go on scheduled walks, but members of the Wicker Park Bucktown Special Service Area #33 said they believe the new the program will be successful.

“To our knowledge, we’re the first business improvement district in the country to pilot this sort of ‘good Samaritan’ program with our local businesses,” said WPB SSA #33 Commission Chair Brent Norsman in a press release. “This idea came from several local business owners who were interested in becoming active stewards of the neighborhood experience, which is very exciting to us."

Spearheaded by the Wicker Park and Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the WPB Ambassador program rebate is available for businesses along Ashland, Damen, North, Milwaukee and Western Avenues and Division Street.

"To me, the WPB Ambassador program is identical to the way residents take care of their own neighborhoods: they monitor their own streets and communicate with each other to create a safer environment, block by block," said Robert Gomez, owner of Subterranean bar in Wicker Park. "As business owners, we aim to accomplish the same goal in Wicker Park and Bucktown.”

Funding for the program comes from a tax fund of $50,000, levied on business owners to ramp up safety in the neighborhoods.

Photo by Amber Fisher