CPD changes approach to Hawks celebration in Wrigleyville

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The countdown on Clark Street. Within moments of the Blackhawks win, people poured out of Wrigleyville Bars and onto the streets.

But this time, there were no sidewalk barricades and revelers were not met by Chicago police intent on keeping the street clear. Authorities blockaded entry to Clark Street so that Stanley Cup revelers had full run of the Wrigleyville corridor.

The celebration was unlike 2013, when police engaged celebrants and tried to push them out of Wrigleyville, prompting an angry Clark Street standoff. City security consultant and former secret service official Arnette Heintz sees lessons from the mistakes of two years ago.

"That would entail what law enforcement learned about staffing and resources deployment," Heintze said. "Since that time the technologies and tools available have certainly improved and grown and so we are using tools today we were not using several years ago."

Resources last night included dozens of officers on bicycles and less reliance on riot-equipped police. In 2013, this would probably not have been allowed: a guy on a light pole is tossed a beer, makes the catch and then chugs it down before tossing it back into the masses.

Later in the night, police even helped another climber down from a pole, telling him to take it easy and then sending him on his way.

There were arrests though, and several were caught on camera by ABC7 I-Team reporters and producers spread across the city.

Wrigleyville by the numbers: four felony and 21 misdemeanor arrests, five officers slightly injured, and six squad cars damaged. The vandalism was mostly from thrown bottles that shattered vehicle windows.

It became tense only once on Monday evening when things were thrown at police on horseback as they came in to clear the intersection of Clark and Addison.

Two businesses near Wrigleyville had broken windows last night possibly linked to the post-game celebration.

Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy was not seen in Wrigleyville or anywhere else during the celebration. A police department spokesperson did not respond to the I-Team when asked about McCarthy's whereabouts.