Ponchita Moore Prioritizes Youth Opportunities, Prevention and Community Participation (Chicago, IL) — Ponchita Moore is seeking another term on Chicago’s 5th Police District Council with an emphasis on youth employment, mental health services and stronger community participation in public safety decisions.
Moore serves in the council’s community engagement role. The district includes Roseland, Pullman, West Pullman, Altgeld Gardens and other Far South Side neighborhoods.
In an interview with The Chicagoland Journal, Moore said her approach reflects approximately 20 years of organizing experience with the Service Employees International Union, involvement with Roseland community organizations and her experience raising children in Chicago.
Her city biography also describes advocacy involving fair wages, affordable housing and access to education.
A lifelong South Side resident, Moore said concerns about how Black and brown residents experience policing helped motivate her to seek office. As a parent, she wants young people to receive fair treatment when interacting with officers.
“I just want to make sure that the youth and young adults, they have a fair chance,” she said.
During her first term, Moore said she has brought organizations into council discussions to address mental health, youth employment and services for young people.
She also wants to strengthen communication between younger residents and elders, helping both groups better understand one another and reducing the fear that can develop between generations.
Youth employment has received attention in violence-prevention research. A randomized Chicago study published in 2014 found that offering teenagers summer jobs and adult mentoring reduced violent-crime arrests by approximately 43% over a 16-month period compared with a control group.
Moore said preventing violence should receive greater attention in decisions about public safety spending. She opposes reinstating ShotSpotter, arguing that the city should invest more in addressing the conditions that contribute to shootings.
“We need to get down to why the shootings are occurring,” she said.
She acknowledged that residents disagree about the gunshot detection technology. Some want it restored, while others support directing resources toward preventive services. Moore said conversations with residents are an important part of explaining her position and understanding their concerns.
The district councils are intended to give residents an ongoing role in local policing discussions. Their responsibilities include holding monthly public meetings, gathering input on police policies and practices, and communicating neighborhood concerns to the citywide oversight commission.
Moore said the first term has involved learning how to use that structure effectively. She believes council members have more influence than they initially recognized and should exercise it more confidently.
“I think we do have more power than what we realized,” she said.
For another term, Moore wants to build on that experience by expanding resident involvement and maintaining attention to youth services, mental health and fair treatment by police.
Ponchita Moore Prioritizes Youth Opportunities, Prevention and Community Participation
