Chicago, Ferguson bracing for grand jury decision

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ABC7 I-Team looked into security preparations as Ferguson, Mo., Chicago and cities across the country brace for a coming grand jury decision in last summer's police shooting of teenager Michael Brown.

The grand jury in St. Louis County will meet Wednesday, and while decision day in the Michael Brown case could come that quickly, most law enforcement officials are suggesting it may take another week. It has been a little more than three months since police say 18-year-old Brown robbed a convenience store and was shot soon after in a street confrontation with a Ferguson officer.

The days of looting and clashes with police have given way to an edgy calm as a grand jury winds toward deciding whether or not to hand up indictments against Ferguson officer Darren Wilson

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Fearing that no charges will rekindle violence, some Ferguson business owners are shoring up their properties, and so are some residents. At gun shops around St. Louis, sales are up as decision day nears.

"Every time that door opens we are seeing new faces every day. Dozens of new faces coming in," said John Stephenson, Missouri gun shop manager.

Missouri's governor and state police officials announced their plans Tuesday to prevent what happened in August.

"That ugliness was not representative of Missouri and it cannot be repeated...the National Guard has been and will continue to be part of our contingency planning. The guard will be available when we determine it is available to support local law enforcement," said Gov. Jay Nixon.

On Tuesday night, coordinated protests are scheduled to begin across the U.S. as soon as a grand jury decision is announced, including a Chicago demonstration planned by activist groups at State and Jackson in the Loop and then moving to Chicago Police headquarters at 35th and Michigan.

It's called "Chicago Emergency Call to Action if Darren Wilson is Not Indicted" and organizers Tuesday night say "few believe an indictment will come..." and that, they say, will be "devastating to MANY."

In Missouri, authorities hope for non-violent protests but plan for the disturbances we saw last summer - and they've had weeks to prepare, as have police departments across the country. Chicago police said to have recently gone through several quick response drills in anticipation of what may happen post-Ferguson.

Chicago Police statement on upcoming Ferguson decision

Chicago police said in a statement to the I-Team Tuesday night: "CPD will always protect residents right to free speech and peaceful assembly. Over the past three years CPD has led a return to community policing to build relationships between officers and residents, because community policing and fostering stronger relationships with the communities we all serve is the foundation of our policing philosophy."