Thorp Safety Patrol!
Beginning in early November, you may have noticed Thorp parents and community members standing on school corners with whistles. These are volunteers from the Thorp Safety Patrol, a group formed in response to increased ICE/CBP activity around Chicago to keep an eye out for agents around the school during drop-off and pickup. The goal of the Thorp Safety Patrol is to provide both security and solidarity to Thorp students and families.
The Thorp Safety Patrol is currently looking for more volunteers; even if you’re only able to occasionally help look out during a drop-off or pickup we’d love to have you! Please email thorpsafetypatrol@gmail.com for more information or with any questions/concerns.
Additionally, the Thorp administration and the Safety Patrol expect to offer Know Your Rights / ICE Watch training opportunities for parents in the near future; watch this space for that announcement!
The Thorp Safety Patrol acts as a supplement to the formal procedures that CPS and Thorp already have in place and is in constant contact with Thorp administration. If volunteers spot ICE or Border Patrol, they immediately report it to administrators as well as ICIRR and document ensuing agent activity.
Currently, we are not patrolling corners on a daily basis, but rather as needed, in line with reported ICE/CBP activity in the area. This follows guidance from local elected officials who have organized similar patrols at dozens of nearby schools. We anticipate resumption of regular patrols in the coming months. In the meantime, please reach out to the Thorp Safety Patrol to get trained and learn more about this important effort.