Former CPD Paul Bacarella prepares to fight the Chicago Residency Rule

Paul.Bacarella.jpg The Directors of the Municipal Advocate General are convening in Park Ridge, Illinois to confer with Attorney Russ Stewart determining the best course of action for Paul Bacarella. Paul Bacarella is a decorated Chicago Police Officer that has put his life on the line day after day to make Chicago safe from crime. Chicago rewarded him by termination.
I went through Paul’s file and was impressed by the many awards he received for valor. Chicago needs more Police Officers like Paul. Paul was paid back by having a residency investigation that only found him in the suburbs. On a personal level, I know the pain he has gone through, the Investigators have a habit of never finding you except where they are told to find you. I hope at the end of the day today, we can chart a course to overturn Chicago Residency Requirements, and allow Chicago Americans to stop being pawns for Daley’s political system. Mayor Daley vigorously defends the rule. He once said, “If I’m mayor, should I live in Waukegan? If it’s good enough to work and earn your salary, it’s good enough to live.” Well I hate to tell an idiot like Mayor Daley, but he is an elected official and by law he must be a resident. In fact politicians are allowed to run in districts they are not an actual resident in.
Mayor Daley has a habit of traveling around the globe and allowing his friends and pals to pay his way. Mayor Daley is not an actual resident in Chicago as he spends a vast amount of time outside the country. I think many of the other major cities in America have figured out the waste of money following its workers, and have concentrated on investigating the millions wasted on corruption and theft. I think in Paul’s case a great injustice has burdened this man long enough. Based on Paul’s record, I hope many other actual residents and city workers are not accused of residency violation when Daley and his goons finger a Paul’s position for someone else. I hope many people read this story and help us change the system. I was always for the Residency Requirement in Chicago, but too many stories like this mean we need to change the rule. Photo by Patrick McDonough

16 Replies to “Former CPD Paul Bacarella prepares to fight the Chicago Residency Rule”

  1. WORK FOR THE CITY LIVE IN THE CITY,HE KNEW IT WHEN HE STATERD THE JOB. TO BAD BRIGHT EYES BYE BYE HAVE A GREAT LIFE.

    (Response) I am sorry when people wish ill upon another! Stop putting your finger in the light socket!

  2. Paul was a great cop. To bad the political scum in IAD did a sandbag job on him to save there own job. They had to compensate for the 2 1/2 years of investigating him with nothing concrete to pin him down with. Took him down anyway. And to show how much class they had, they waited a week after his father died to fire him….. Just think Paul, if you were a Dept Chief like Rottner is, you don’t even get investigated and you could live in Lincolnwood. I guess thats the perk for being a rat in IAD, you get promoted and could live where ever you want.

  3. Residency rules in general and the City one in specifically have been upheld by the Highest Court in the State and the Land.

    I would mention that the owner of this blog is a hypocrite on this issue and post a ceratain suburb and address which is fron public records. However he just editte post or not post it at all.

    However come th new year when that address will come into new focus, preassure and visits from both public and private investigators along which a certain school.

    Happy holidays

    (Response) Are you on crack?

  4. I do agree with you that the city uses politics to arbitrarily enforce residency requirements.

    I also agree that there is a hypocricy in privatization that is evident in out of the city or even out of state companies with low wage out of city workers.

    However, the residency requirement makes sense and is good for Chicago.
    It keeps neighborhoods stable, more tax revenue in the city and helps the economy. Also, most municipalities have if not a residency requirement a requirement to live so many (15 miles usually) close to the town or village for emergency workers (police and fire) for the obvious purpose of quick response. This has been upheld in court and a good thing.

    (Response) Than the workers should be paid additional money. Mayor Daley’s Public schools are a joke. Municipal Public Workers need to pay for Catholic schools for obvious reasons. Chicago Public schools are so crappy, Arnie got sent to Washington with Obama. Perfect. It is time to overturn the rule.

  5. The Schools in Lake Forest aren’t that good either.
    There are good CPS schools in Edison Park and Edgebrook. Many City workers and their wives make enought to use the Catholic schools. Residency requirements are good for Chicago and are good for communities. They have been upheld by courts and NYC is a different law and different application.

    Just live in Chicago.

  6. I also agree with you that the city uses politics to arbitrarily enforce residency requirements. I read an article written a couple of months ago on this guy for the first time today, and I don’t know the whole story on any of those guys, but you could obviously see how the city pick’s and chooses who they want to stay and who they want to go and who they will investigate and how far they will go. I think the main issue on this residency issue comes down to the schools. We could put up with the taxes, to a point, but when it comes to the education of our kids…. That’s when we draw should draw the line. Were not making the salary of the Mayor or the Alderman. Most of us are making middle wages and can’t afford to send them to private schools. As for the stability of the neighborhoods. What is considered stability, you need to get specific on this subject…. People that want to stay will stay no matter what. More then likely families with kids will go because of the school and I don’t blame them. They will sell there houses and someone else will buy who wants to be there and is not being forced to live there. As for tax rev, people go out of there way not to purchase in the city or the county for that matter. Lets be realistic, It’s absurd what we pay to purchase anything. We have to be a laughing stock of the nation to pay the sales tax that we pay.

  7. City of Chicago workers do have a good salary and many do go to Catholic schools and others have the connections to go to the good public schools.

  8. So are you going to challenge the residency requirement?

    (Response) I have enough information to turn it over

  9. Yea we have good salaries but they like to take it back in property and sales taxes. I want to puke everytime I get my tax bill. And everytime we go for contract talks the only people that make out are the alderman. I agree with one persons comment. We are the laughing stock of the nation. I only have 3 more years to live in this city……Thank goodness

  10. The law is the law period. If you work for he city, you have to live the city(except in Sol’s mind) If you dont want to live in the City, go work for a private company.

    Hey Pat I see that they will be building a casino near O’Hare. They will need good plumbers so qhy dont you apply for job there so you wont have to travel to far from Andersonville.

    (Response) I am a great plumber, the best Plumber in Chicago.

  11. The residency rule has been fought for years, and old man Daley won every time. Their reasoning has always been they want to get back a good portion of what they’re paying you in salary. It used to be “look the other way” but now, the stampede you’d have, especially out of Edison Park, Norwood Park, Sauganash, Beverly and the like neighborhoods (where all the CPD and CFD and everybody else that pays the BULK of the property taxes lives,) would bankrupt this city. And Richie would hafta go find some more assets to privatize.

  12. The law is the law period. If you work for he city, you have to live the city(except in Sol’s mind) If you dont want to live in the City, go work for a private company.

    Hey Pat I see that they will be building a casino near O’Hare. They will need good plumbers so qhy dont you apply for job there so you wont have to travel to far from Andersonville.

    (Response) I am a great plumber, the best Plumber in Chicago.

    I think you are a Caulker by trade. Maybe thats why your name is on the clout list for a plumbing inspector but you did not get the job…

  13. I don’t think they should lift the residency rule now. I also don’t think Paul B should have been fired. Complete BS. Haul him back you phony suburban living bosses. You wouldn’t want me giving out all your addresses now that I’m retired. The papers and news leave all of you alone but one of these days the piper will be paid. As for you at the church telling John S where he’s to be found drinking, how about if I list, one by one where each of you are tipping a pint on city time. I’ll also mention the “Ten Best Places to Swipe” some of them are in private residences. If this blogster didn’t get his “plumbing inspector” job then we know he didn’t pay the right alderwoman. Make a visit out to Mt. Greenwood son.

  14. Paul…go get em. You and I both know you got em. You had a nice position and did your job well and they know it. You were one of the most honest coppers / family guy that I knew. Coppers are the most jealous people in the world. If you got it good they’ll say and do anything to put you down. All that you did for the Department on Aging and Joyce Gallagher didn’t even help you? Your not gonna get help from one of Daily’s puppets… You should know better. As I remember, didn’t she say you were the one that started the Isolated Senior Task force. Thats what you get for doing your job. Next time do what everyone else does…NOTHING. Go out answer your calls, keep your mouth shut, and don’t do anything to make the city look good. I saw what you did everyday and when I had a problem with a senior issue you were the only one who took care of it. Everyone else just blew it off. Great job and a class act…. They can all go to hell. When you get your back pay post pics of the long vacation you’ll be taking……

  15. I worked in 025 with paul for many years and I must disagree with one or more of your “opinions”. Yes, Paul is a good guy, though a little high on himself. Secondly, he knew the rules when he started, and thirdly “highly decorated”? I don’t think so. he spent the majhority of his career dealing with senior citizens out of the community policing office. prior to that he worked a beat car on the south end of the district and didn’t really go the extra mile to be considered valiant. if you are going to broadcast Paul’s plight, at least be honest in this endeavor.

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