BOMA/Chicago Preparedness Committee Meeting Recap: May 18, 2021

Below is a summary of what was discussed at the BOMA/Chicago Preparedness Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 18th. The meeting was hosted by Ron Tabaczynski (BOMA), Erin Belknap (Sterling Bay), and Tom Henkey (Titan).

The meeting included members of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Metra, and ChicagoFIRST.

Protest and Civil Unrest Overview and Recap

• Pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place on May 12th and May 16th;
• There are pending events by the same group on May 23rd and May 30th

Downtown Re-Occupancy

• There was a discussion of downtown Chicago’s re-occupancy and accelerated time frame for commercial office tenants 

Chicago Public-Private Task Force (CPPTF) 

There was a discussion of the CPPTF projects with potential impacts on the commercial sector. Below is the list of projects:

• Credentialing
• Public/Private Camera Sharing
• FIMS/CP3
• Carjacking Prevention
• City Evacuation
• Communication Mechanisms

Cyber Security / Ransomware Attacks

• There was a review of recent ransomware attacks by DHS/CISA;
• It is strongly recommended to practice good “cyber hygiene” on vital systems, and informing employees of phishing techniques;
• The new CISA new web portal for ransomware is www.cisa.gov\ransomware

COVID-19 Update

• There was an update provided on the current coronavirus status with an emphasis on new/revised mask mandates, and concerns by employers and managers to verify vaccine status

Public Sector Updates:

OEMC:

• Protest updates and messaging is ongoing;
• Occupancy and tourism increasing in Central Business District;
• Smart 911 initiative now includes optional sharing of external residential cameras

CPD 1st District:

• Crime statistics are up year-to-date, with 2020 exceptionally slow;
• Special events are slowly returning in June and July

CPD 18th District:

• Crime trends up, including thefts of delivery vehicles left open and running;
• Special events pending for summer months

Metra:

• Ridership is up slightly in recent weeks;
• The Metra PD is monitoring Ogilvie Station for protests related to Israeli Consulate in offices above

ChicagoFIRST:

• Reviewing the use of technologies to verify vaccine status for returning employees in the financial sector

Next Meeting:

• The next meeting is scheduled for June 15th, 2021, and held via Microsoft Teams;
• Future meetings may return to in-person status pending further social distancing and mask guidance

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).