16 September 2008

Still Keeping Count?
Now I could be wrong, but it would appear as if the latest number of homicides in Fort Wayne is at NINETEEN.
I am saying this now, because I would find it VERY hard to believe that someone had an "accident".
And although in many respects, this entire city IS an accident waiting to happen on so many levels, I will attempt to give some benefit to some doubt.

**((FORT WAYNE, Ind. -WANE -
Fort Wayne police are investigating a fatal stabbing.

It happened just before 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, in the 2000 block of Phenie St. Officers found one adult male victim.
Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Investigators say another house in the neighborhood is related to the crime, but they're not sure where the incident began.
They also say alcohol may have been involved.
The second house is in the 1600 block of Taylor St. Both are located close to Swinney Park.
Investigators are questioning a person of interest.))
And this stabbing (read homicide) occurred on the (all together gang)...SOUTH side of the city. At least it wasn't near OUR house.
OK, why doesn't this surprise me?
Still, since it doesn't appear to be gang or drug related (at this time), maybe that's a "good" thing. On the down side to that, no drug dealers OR gang members were killed. Definitely not a "win-win" here.
((Editor's Note: the vic has been ID'ed, and the perp is in custody. The link for the news brief is here:
http://news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/NEWS02/809160335/1001
And it IS ruled a homicide - told 'ya so))

**Speaking of winning (or losing, as the case may be), today's paper had a nice op-ed by the leader of the local Urban League, one Jonathan Ray...
And it made a helluva lot of sense!
Imagine that.
Here's the link to the editorial:

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/EDIT05/809160381

It's a REAL good read, and there's not ONE WORD about "whitey" causing all this crap.
Imagine that.
Jonathan...I do believe you've got your fingers firmly on the pulse of your community.
Thank you for echoing my sentiments on this.
**Lastly today, I've been noticing something that's been a bit bothersome of late, and I wanted to make all of YOU aware of it.
How many times have you been driving along and seen an UNMARKED POLICE CRUISER?
You know the type of car...usually either a Chevy Impala or a Ford Crown Vic (4 door) solid color (mostly black, white or dark blue), with those antennae protruding like a cat's whiskers. They have over sized tires and the plain, black rims with the silver center cap. Some might even have a spotlight attached to the *A* pillar on the driver's side.
Yeah, you know you've seen 'em.
As have I.
Odd thing is that recently I've pretty much ONLY seen LEOs behind those wheels.
Things are changing, though.
What is happening in Fort Wayne, is that many cars that look JUST LIKE an unmarked police car are being bought and driven by people with VERY LOUD STEREOS. Must be that spacious trunk that will hold all that audio crap, hmm?
I've seen close to TEN vehicles now (just in MY neighborhood), that, when they're NOT being loud, give me an all too brief "false hope" that my neighborhood is being patrolled by the POLICE, when in fact, it's quite the opposite.
My streets are being patrolled by the BAD GUYS...A LOT!!!
The main thing to notice about these cars is that none of them have a "official" POLICE PLATE (with the shield), and that's a good thing, because if they DID, I'd be making some calls to I/A getting them to explain this BS!
We have one "yahoo" that speeds through our area in a white 4 door 2000 model Crown Vic that you could SWEAR is an unmarked car (and we actually DO see enough of them around here to make the distinction). All this guys needs is a siren and some red/blue "wig-wags".
Thing is, this guy is NOT a cop. He's a problem...a very LOUD problem.
And I've forwarded this information to the FWPD in an attempt (however vain it might become) to get this guy off the streets.
One "could" even say that he's giving people the impression that he IS a police officer, just by the manner in which he drives around, speeding and barely slowing for YIELD signs or STOP signs. Pretending to be a LEO is not really allowed (by law), but you DO have to admit that he sure is being INTIMIDATING. And the REAL police can often be labelled as such.
I submit that going out and buying an "ex police car" (when you're NOT the BLUES BROTHERS) IS a form of intimidation.
Not to mention, if he was a drug dealer, what better way to move into a new area of "turf" than by looking JUST LIKE the police. The current dealers would be wondering WTF this "cop" is doing cruising their area. I mean that alone makes damn fine "business sense". Scare the other dealers into believing the cops are watching you in cars like this, so YOU can move in and take over.
Sounds a bit "Hollywood", but it DOES have some good aspects to it.
Now I'm to one to dictate what KIND of car people can drive (it's still a free country), but when someone KNOWINGLY goes out, buys an EX police cruiser and then turns it into a damn BOOMCAR, or uses it to make other drivers slow down (as he drives in any manner he wishes), well, that's just not fair at all.
And I can tell you from experience, this WORKS.
Back in the day, I used to drive a 1975 Ford Torino coupe (dark green) with a CB antenna on the trunk lid, and moon hubcaps on 15 inch rims with *H* size radial tires (larger than standards). And I was invited to go down to Sea Isle City (NJ) for a weekend. As I was driving slowly through town, looking for the address, I noticed people STARING at my car (and me). One guy even hid the six-pack he just bought from a nearby liquor store.
Why the hell was all this going on?
As I passed the police station there, I got my answer:
The THREE patrol cars were ALL the same model TORINOS, AND the same dark green color (with white doors).
I was LMAO over that, but I did hold my head a wee bit higher knowing that.
So yes...having a "lookalike" vehicle WORKS...even when you're not even trying to make it work.
My wife was even told by some of her students that THEY would like to have a car like hers ( mid-late 90s Caprice Classic), as it "looks like a police car". I have to admit that I get some stares while driving the Caprice...probably a few more than I get from driving my 25 year-old Firebird. Then again, the FWPD used to HAVE Caprices back in 1993-1998.
It works...
Until someone that hates cops takes a shot at you or your car, that is.
Then, all bets are off.
So it can be a two-edged sword, and when it comes to living, I'd much rather play it safe.
Wouldn't you do as much?

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