"We have had a little bit of an uptick"(in violence), Director of Public Safety Hellwig per Mark Spivey Courier News.
That is a conservative approach to 4 shootings and one fatal stabbing in the past two weeks. Since the stabbing victim was I believe an homeless person and the arrested alleged "perp" a 14 year old accompanied by two older individuals in a car it may be safe to presume that this was a gang related initiation. The shootings happened in high crime areas.
If one reads the papers or listens to the TV/radio news it is apparent that there is an increase nationwide in violent crime. the bigger question is "what national and state resources both quality and quantity is being used to fight this trend.
Although I have not been able to find the reference; I read somewheres that at the Budget hearings Director Hellwig remarked that the Division planned to ad 15 new patrolmen this budget year to make up for a shortfall in the present force staffing. The report did not explain how this increase would not cost the taxpayers anything.
Why the shortage in patrol level police was not explained. Could it have been due to the lack of appropriation of sufficient funding, or due to a low department morale fulled by the lack of a Police Chief ? Department staffing and proper employment are the keys to successful combating the recent incidents; not the new gadgets which are only tools.
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I had the same reaction to "a little bit of an uptick" for three shootings and a fatal stabbing - would hate to see what a full uptick might entail.
ReplyDeleteOld Doc: can't we find $20,000 to bring in the Rev. Al for this "emergency"? Maybe emergencies don't happen in the year before a mayoralty election, only small upticks. Rev. All = 15 new cops. Which do you choose, especially when Investors will pay for Rev. Al, and we have to pay for 15 cops literally forever?
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest problems is this attitude of trying to negotiate with the violent element that holds us hostage, especially if they are "children, this is ridiculous! No death penalty anymore in this kinder gentler society just long prison time. Now we no longer have to worry about the perp committing any more crimes directly to us, but the non violent inmates who might benefit from a light jail sentence are exposed to these creeps and wind up coming out of jail as bad or worse than the originals they are now exposed to.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and blood for blood"?
Blackdog I could not agree with you more. It is very sad that we send these criminals to jail, they get 3 meals, and some of the jails now are equipped with cable TV. The criminals go to jail meet up with their friends then run the jails. Very sad. I agree Death Penalty will send a strong message.
ReplyDeleteRenee
Bob, I could not post your comment although I might agree with you in principle, but you are too personal in your remarks.
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