Oak Park, Illinois | Village of Oak Park, Illinois / Facebook
Oak Park, Illinois | Village of Oak Park, Illinois / Facebook
Fifty-four-year-old Maywood resident Latonia Lawson has garnered a rather dubious reputation for her frequent interactions with local businesses, earning her the nickname “super 96” due to the relentless issuance of trespass warnings.
“Downtown businesses and cops are at wits’ end because of a woman who goes into shops and restaurants, takes things and otherwise causes trouble. She’s been ‘banned from everywhere’ according to dispatchers, meaning she’s been given trespassing warnings from most businesses,” the Oak Park Scanner said on X.
“This week a cop described her as ‘super 96,’ referencing the police code 10-96 for a ‘person exhibiting crazy or psychotic behavior.’ Last week Courageous Bakery finally had enough asking police to arrest her. Latonia Lawson, 54 years old of Maywood, was arrested for criminal trespass. The trespass warnings and arrest seem to not have had any affect as we’ve heard multiple calls this week—including from Courageous Bakery—asking cops to remove her from their stores.”
Courageous Bakery & Cafe is located at 736 Lake St. in Oak Park. Another location is in Elmhurst.
The business grew out of the Cupcakes for Courage food truck which was launched in 2011.
As with other parts of Cook County, crime has been on the increase in Oak Park, rising 11% in 2022.
According to Center Square, as Illinois cities confront the challenges of addressing homelessness, law enforcement agencies express concerns over the potential impact of the state’s SAFE-T Act on their ability to deal with trespassing issues involving homeless individuals.
Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette emphasized that arresting someone for trespassing usually results in a quick release, creating a “vicious cycle” that is likely to worsen due to recent changes in the law.t
The SAFE-T Act now requires the issuance of a citation before an arrest is made for trespassing.
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