Commander Lodding returns home to 21st Police District

By Susan Fong

When Police Lieutenant Howard Lodding stepped into his new position April 27 as commander of the 21st District at 300 E. 29th St, he felt it was a dream come true. The promotion came as a total surprise to the 47-year-old Bridgeport native. In fact, this assignment marks a return after 16 years to the beat that began his career.

The 21st is a diverse area that takes in Bridgeport, Chinatown, the Dearborn Homes, and Hyde Park. Commander Lodding lived most of his life in Bridgeport but moved away about 13 years ago. When he joined the police force, the 31-year-old recruit was assigned to the West Side as a tactical and patrol officer at Harrison Street and Kedzie Avenue for 7 1/2 years.

In 1998 he was promoted to sergeant and moved to the 1st District, then detailed over to the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Police Department. At that time the Chicago Police Department took over managing the CHA force, and Lodding’s team helped develop a new CHA patrol strategy.

(The CHA Police force since has been dissolved.) Later, working in the 2nd District, Lodding became a lieutenant and worked for Commander Charles Williams in the Bureau of Strategic Deployment, which involved Homeland Security. When Commander Williams was transferred to the Patrol Division, which oversees 7,000 officers in 25 districts, Lodding was asked to join the team as a project lieutenant.

During this period, he was appointed commander of the 21st District by the Police superintendent. Lodding also has worked as a trainer in the Police Academy and an ambassador for the department, speaking in colleges and to the press. Now, as a busy district commander, he no longer teaches. “This job is a challenge, and I love to be challenged,” Lodding said. “I love to solve problems.

With the police department I have been very fortunate to be on the cutting edge with the technology, helping to develop the blue light camera, video trucks, and a wireless system for the officers.”

Working with Homeland Security, Lodding learned about Chicago’s fiber-optic network and security planning. Considering himself a team player, he explained police work is “always a team effort” and “you’re only as good as the people around you.” He plans to ensure the 21st District is the “safest” in the city and is targeting burglary and robbery for special attention.

Regarding gangs, the 21st has two teams to address this issue. “At this time, there is virtually no gang presence in Chinatown,” Lodding said, “unlike in other areas of our District where they deal in narcotics or fight back and so forth. There were a couple of kids who were looking for fights, but once we put a patrol over there, it’s disappeared. I personally go over to Chinatown to check on Friday nights.”

At the district headquarters, his door is open because Lodding wants his staff to know he is always available.

“The hours are much longer than with my previous job,” he commented. “I had to sit down and explain to my wife and 11-year-old son that, in the next period, I will be working long hours. An example of that was [August’s] power outage. The public may not expect the police out there, but we had to oversee what was going on because it was in my district.”

“It is not surprising to find Commander Lodding out in the streets at all hours of the day,” said Officer Mary Jean Chan, who works Chinatown. Commitment means his schedule includes days, afternoons, and midnights to ensure appropriate coverage. “How can you lead when you don’t know what goes on in your own areas?” he asked.

All high-level police like Lodding are expected to start late on Fridays to create more of a police presence on weekends; even the superintendent rides in a blue and white car to cover a part of the city each Friday.

In fact, during the July Beat meeting, when C.A.P.S. (the community-based Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) held a barbecue for Chinatown residents, Lodding joined his staff at Ping Tom Park. He introduced himself to residents and listened to their concerns over hot dogs and burgers.

“It’s really a part of every commander’s job to understand what is going on his area,” Lodding said. “This means riding around and being with your teams.

“When I first came on, there was some vandalism of Chinatown stores. Several windows had been broken. The activity has ceased after some inquiries, and I assigned a patrol to the area in question.”

Chinatown has participated actively with police, and the area offers several opportunities for citizens and police to interact.

Local resident David Lee facilitates a regular beat meeting at the Chinatown Library every second Wednesday of the month. Business people can attend an informal meeting at Chicago’s Chinatown Chamber of Commerce every Tuesday at 10 a.m., facilitated by chamber Executive Director Susan Ng.

For Chinese speaking residents, Officer Mary Jean Chan of District 21 and Officer Al Choi of District 9 meet with the public every Wednesday and assist with complaints and inquiries at the Chinese American Service League at 10 a.m. and at the Chinese Community Benevolent Association at 11:30 a.m.

“I have no doubt that Chinatown is going to get great police coverage…I don’t think he ever sleeps,” joked Officer Chan about Lodding, noting that a recent situation involving troublemaking youths “was quickly remedied.

Actually, it was he who took those youths home to their parents and explained the situation.” “In order for us to be truly effective, we depend on the citizens to be our first set of eyes,” Lodding said. “We want to build a partnership with the community so that we can best serve them. I really love being here to help and expect to be here as long as I can.”

For information about beat meetings, call the Chinatown Library at (312) 747-8013 or see page 83 of the Gazette. For information about the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce weekly Tuesday briefings, call (312)326-5320. Concerning weekly Wednesday meetings, call the Chinese American Service League, (312) 791-0418, or the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association at (312) 225-6198.