Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) headquarters. (Photo by dbking)

Some Cook County commissioners’ wish for President Donald Trump to make good on his offer to provide assistance to stem the gun violence in Chicago, was answered.

Approximately 20 additional agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are headed to Chicago according to CNN, which first reported the move.

However, commissioners and County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are wary, citing the old adage “Be careful what you wish for.”

Some commissioners were considering a resolution to send an open letter to the president seeking help late January.

Commissioners Richard Boykin, Gregg Goslin, Sean Morrison, Tim Schneider and Jeff Tobolski, asks for Trump’s help in squelching violence in what has become the “epicenter of gun violence in the United States of America,” according to Boykin.

In 2016, Chicago saw 4,400 people shot, nearly 800 of them dying. Eighty percent of the individuals being fatally shot were black, often at the hands of black offenders, Boykin noted.

“We have a crisis, a literal state of emergency that demands federal intervention,” said Boykin, who noted much of the city’s violence occurs in the Austin, East and West Garfield Park, Lawndale and Inglewood neighborhoods. “That intervention can come in the form of increased resources for job training and jobs, increased FBI /DEA coordination with the city of Chicago and with the County of Cook’s Sheriff’s Police.”

Boykin said Trump has indicated a willingness to assist in helping fight the violence in Chicago “if leaders ask for assistance.”

“The Bible often suggests we have not because we ask not,” Boykin said.

He said for the sake of city neighborhoods being decimated by gun violence he is asking for help.

County Board members considered the resolution at their January meeting, but because of concerns about its far-reaching nature did not approve it and referred it to the county’s Criminal Justice Committee for further discussion.

Lanetta Haynes Turner, executive director of the county’s Justice Advisory Council said there is a system already in place where Cook County reaches out to the federal government for grant money.

“We do have a very formal process in place for how we apply for external grants,” Turner said. “… We have continually encouraged individual departments to apply for grants.”

She said that in fiscal year 2016 the county received nearly $211 million in federal grants and expects another $208 million in grants for FY 2017.

Commissioner John Daley said that he is concerned that restrictions on federal money could hamper county use of any additional funds. As an example, he noted that Department of Homeland Security money only could be used to fight terrorism.

He said that he has asked congressmen to change the legislation that would allow broader use of the funds.

“We have terrorism in our own communities,” Daley said.

Daley also did not like that the resolution did not ask for any funds for suburban communities.

Commissioner Morrison, who chairs the Cook County Republican Party, said that President Trump has mentioned the violence plaguing Chicago and Cook County many times.

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— Washington sending more federal agents to Chicago —