Members of the Chicago Police Department, the United States Secret Service and other federal law enforcement partners on Friday canvassed the areas around McCormick Place and the United Center, where the Democratic National Convention will take place from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22.
"We're really here to start lowering the anxiety," said Glen Brooks, director of community policing for CPD. "We understand there were a lot of questions and today we are providing some of those answers."
Chief among those answers relate to road closures and access points for residents and business owners. Police handed out pamphlets detailing road closures and the security perimeter to residents.
Red and yellow security perimeters are mapped out around each DNC location. For the United Center, fences around the perimeter will go up Aug. 17, two days before the convention begins. The perimeter's borders are Washington Boulevard to the north, Seeley to the west, Adams to the south, and then it stretches to Wood and Paulina streets.
As Brooks explained, the yellow area on the map is a vehicle screening area. There's also a vehicle screening checkpoint for the United Center location on Paulina just off West Monroe.
"The yellow just really means that your vehicles are going to be screened, but you're going to be able to walk to and from as you normally are," Brooks said. "The red area is where you're going to need to be credentialed."
Brooks said very few people live within the red zones and that Chicago Police and its partners have been in communication with them multiple times.
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All told, the city has spoken to around 1,000 Chicago residents and business owners during the process of preparing the city for the DNC.
Since April, the U.S. Secret Service has been scoping out areas likely to be impacted by the convention. The latest maps released Thursday show the current perimeter. Federal agents told NBC Chicago they want residents to feel as in the loop as possible during preparation and convention week itself.
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"And we are here to bring that message directly to the people who live and work in these neighborhoods," said Joel Heffernan, assistant special agent in charge for the U.S. Secret Service's Chicago Field Office.
The Henry Horner Homes, a Chicago Housing Authority building, is just blocks from the United Center. Residents said they already met with the U.S. Secret Service twice. Resident Terrance Evans, who also sits on an advisory board, feels he knows what to expect.
"There will be security checks for the cars coming in and checking underneath the cars and with the dogs," he said.
On Friday, staff from the Chicago City Clerk's office were at the Horner Homes along with canvassers, making sure residents have the option of a CityKey ID to help them more easily get around during Convention week. They also visited the Patrick Sullivan Apartments to offer CityKeys exclusively to residents at those locations.
From the City Clerk's Office:
The Chicago CityKey is an optional, valid, government-issued ID card offered to all Chicago residents that will unlock many of the great things our City has to offer. No registration or pre-qualification is needed, and every Chicagoan is eligible regardless of age, insurance, income, health or immigration status. It serves as a four-in-one card by serving as a valid, government-issued ID card, a Chicago Public Library card, a Ventra card and a pharmaceutical discount card. Additionally, CityKey provides cardholders with discounts to participating museums, theaters, sporting events, restaurants, retail stores and businesses across Chicago.
Chicago police warned that bus routes could be affected during DNC week and suggested residents use the city's Office of Emergency Management app for the latest changes.
CDOT confirmed the CTA's new Green Line Damen station, just blocks from the United Center, is expected to be open prior to the convention.
Police said more canvassing and additional public meetings are expected to happen before the Convention takes place.
