28 September 2006

A Very Interesting Article in INK...

Here's the link for the story et al:
http://www.inknewsonline.com/

I highly recommend reading this, as it sheds a LOT of light on the status quo in the Southeast part of town. And I love the "ten step" program they offer up.

I first saw it in this morning's JG, and it pretty much what I have saying all along about the good "Rev". And finding out he is a Republican just proved to me that people on both sides of the political fence can be wrong. He's not one of MY personal favorites when it comes to an honest to God revitalization of the south side...not with his current victicratic rhetoric, anyway.

I could NOT find the article on the website of the JG (strange, huh?), so I don't really know what's up with that (maybe the story was pulled...who knows)?

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Another voice on the FWPD "Take Home Car" debate...

Bob Rinearson (whom I've had the pleasure of meeting) has an editorial letter in today's News Sentinel. And it makes good sense (and Bob usually does).

Quote:
"The take-home program was phased in between 1995 and 1997 under then-police chief Neil Moore, who dedicated himself to making community policing a reality in Fort Wayne. Moore says Fort Wayne’s plan was modeled after the take-home-car program in Lexington, Ky. That city’s program proved the benefits of increased crime prevention. The plan found that take-home cars lasted longer. Overtime was “drastically reduced almost daily.” It also found quicker response and better preparation for critical incidents. And it saved tax dollars."

Now who can honestly dispute that?

Well, I "could", given the fact that not too many officers live in MY part of the city, and absolutely none live in my immediate area. That would explain the BLATANT, open-air drug dealing that I see several times a MONTH in my neighborhood ALONE...wouldn't it? I mean if the police are JUST NOT AROUND...then it's OK to do some "business"...isn't it?

As an adjunct, if Allen County prosecutor Karen Richards doesn't think we have "defined neighborhoods" in Fort Wayne for drug dealing (as other cities our size do)...think AGAIN, sister. Would you like the list to be ALPHABETICALLY, or CHRONOLOGICALLY presented???

Quote:
"With crime rates again turning upward, now is no time to cut and run from a crime prevention program that has proved its effectiveness daily since its inception."

Now THAT certainly makes sense.... apparently ANYWHERE but where I happen to live.

But face facts...*if* I were an officer, living down here wouldn't exactly be MY first choice, either. Still, if any reclaiming of this part of town by home-OWNERS, instead of renters (and many of the problems that can be attributed to some of them) is to be taken seriously, then someone has got to step up to the plate, vis-a-vis buy a home down HERE...make a living while living HERE..NOW.
If the criminals start seeing MORE police cars in MORE driveways on houses situated on the SOUTH side, maybe...just maybe these perps would get the message...loud and clear.

But until that starts to happen, we're relegated to totally keeping the FWPD a "complaint-driven" agency, instead of even entertaining the idea of any real PROACTIVITY (on their part) to deter crime.

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Lastly...the Indiana BMV commish resigns!

...all I can say is "Hallelujah"!
(what took SO damn long???)

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