05 August 2010

Answers Are Like Decent Paychecks...
...They are ALWAYS "forthcoming."
Now that I've got your curiosity stirred a bit (or was that the coffee kicking in?), let's take a little stroll around my part of the city, and search FOR some answers, shall we?
Be prepared, because this probably will not be all "butterflies and bunnies", but it WILL be truthful in content.
That you can bank on.
Let's get rolling, then.
Recently, the city had a "pow-wow" with south side citizens and business owners. This happened back on 29 July, and I found out about this when doing an archival search and stumbled across an article from 17 July that talked about the (then upcoming) meeting.
Tell 'ya, I'm STILL not getting all my memos...!
Anyway, the Southtown Area Advisory Board (SAAB? Isn't that copyright infringement on an acronym already in existence?) held this meeting about (as usual) how to IMPROVE this part of Fort Wayne.
Here's the link to the article:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/political/Southeast-Side-Group-Works-To-Improve-Image-99549579.html
Now, for those that haven't been followers of this blog since it's inception three years ago, let me say that a lot of what I blog about (besides the human condition AND common sense) is about WHERE I LIVE...or at least TRY to live.
I'm spent numerous posts decrying the conditions down here, and the apathy, and the slide into "blighted" status.
SO much of what I will relate in this article today will reflect directly on what I've stated for YEARS.
Let me quote from the story:
(( Board members say they have met for an hour every week since December 2009, aiming to usher in a major business development initiative on Fort Wayne's south side.
One of the highlights on Thursday's meeting was a crime statistics report given by Fort Wayne Deputy Police Chief Nancy Chamberlin.
She shared declining crime data, that drew a thunderous round of applause from an auditorium full of citizens and local politicians.
Chamberlin said crime in southeast Fort Wayne is down 25% over the past ten years.
She also pointed out that business break-ins are down 52% over the past 10 years.
She noted that crime has decreased 86% at the Eden Green Apartments since 1998.
She shared that gun violence was down in 2009. 107 fewer shots were fired in 2009.
Chamberlin also noted that in 2009 Fort Wayne experienced two fewer fatal shootings than 2008 and that 282 firearms were taken off city streets.
Chamberlin noted community tips leading to arrests were up and that six more drug houses were shutdown in 2009 compared to 2008.
Chamberlin also said the Fort Wayne Police Department is working with the ATF to convict criminals on federal firearms and drug charges.
She said 13 people with spend at minimum 85% of their sentence behind bars because of those federal charges.
Meanwhile, Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry called the South Side, Fort Wayne's "jewel."
However, Henry said community members need to convince people that the South Side is a good place to do business.
Other community leaders readily admit there is a stigma about opening a business in the African-American community, even though money talks.
"The southeast quadrant has the second highest disposable income out of the four quadrants here in Allen County," said Southtown Area Advisory Board Member Charles Hire.
"That's the first incentive to businesses. The second one is, where do you think the African-American community does spend their money? You think they don't spend money. They obviously have to travel to the other three quadrants to spend their money. From grocery stores, to food, to clothing, to cars, everything. They need
products, we all use products as humans,"
said Hire.
Meanwhile, the Southtown Area Advisory Committee is inviting the public to all future meetings.
The committee meets every Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Academy of Northeast Indiana.
))
Now, for MY observations, based on fact and what I see, because my senses tend to be privy to things some people just ARE NOT witnessing...for some strange reason.
** Okay, so if crime went DOWN 25% over TEN years, that's a yearly average decline of 2.5%, right?
And which SPECIFIC crimes were the basis of these numbers?
Were some crimes "reclassified" under another heading to make the tally look better?
(that's been done in the past)
** Business break-ins are down 52% for one good reason:
We have had over EIGHTY businesses that are NO LONGER HERE...they up and left because of the CRIME (that's been on the "decline").
We also had a MALL close, and that took a snotload of businesses with it, that we shall NEVER get back.
We had a Richards Restaurant close...people stopped coming because of the CRIME (that's been on the "decline").
** Nothing was said about the level of OCCUPANCY of Eden Green Apartments as a result of such a "drastic" decline in crime.
Has the tenant population DECREASED? Has it INCREASED? Inquiring minds want to know.
** I would wager that any decline in GUN VIOLENCE is negligible...at best. We can also wager that the 107 "fewer shots fired" were based on dispatch calls received, and not ACTUALITY. People around here have this amazing capacity to IGNORE things...like gunfire (unless it comes through THEIR house or car).
Then there are the fireworks which do a remarkable job of "masking" gunfire.
I wonder if anyone paid attention to NEW YEAR'S EVE...when it sounds like Kabul on a Saturday night, due to ALL THE GUNFIRE?
I'm just sayin'...
** I DO know that tips into police were up...I probably accounted for MOST of them...LOL.
There is not a month that goes by that I don't send along information to our captain...and you have seen the part of last month's email to her to bear that out.
** Those 282 firearms that were taken OFF the street only accounted for those 107 fewer shots fired???
Not hardly.
I mean, we are talking "stats" here, right? Yet, something doesn't add up with that, because we STILL have gun play on our streets, as is evidenced by the most recent double shooting a couple of blocks away from our house...in the middle of the damn afternoon!
Well, that's all I have to say about that...for now. I only wish ALL the information was forthcoming.
You see, I'm not all that into "lip service". I'm no diplomat, and am about as subtle as a brick through a plate-glass window, but at least with ME, you know where you stand...and where I'm coming from, right?
So, our mayor says that MY part of town is a "jewel"...
(rolls eyes)
Well, I suppose that ANY "diamond" DOES start out as an UGLY LUMP OF COAL...
And that's what we currently have...COAL.
You can't convince decent, law-abiding people that a crime-ridden area, full of Section 8 housing and generationally-endowed welfare baby-mamas and their "boyfriend" gangstas is a good place to do business...or even OPEN a damn business.
Business owners like to MAKE MONEY...it's a character flaw, I guess.
And the BEST way to make business is to STAY in business, i.e. not get robbed out the ass, or have your employees shot or otherwise placed AT RISK by the local "populace". Sound about right?
Not gonna happen with the status quo down here, sorry folks.
And yes, THIS quadrant DOES have the second HIGHEST disposal income level in the entire city...
(WTF???)





You heard me right...we're all just a bunch of "rich-bitches" down here, apparently (living in $40K of less homes)....who knew?
Not too shabby for a large part of the citizenry being on WELFARE...and getting "Gub'ment" money...and NOT WORKING...and DEALING DRUGS, isn't it?
Maybe, that's why some people drive HUMMERS down here...or JAGUARS to houses that don't even cost a THIRD of the price of those vehicles.
'Ya think?
Yep, all that DISPOSABLE income...
Now why would you think that the HIGHEST number of business robberies occur on the NW side of town?
If you said: "Well, Bob...because all the businesses are up THERE, instead of in the SE part of town"...give yourself a GOLD STAR!
Exactly my point.
Predators tend to go where all the "food" can be found...and it ain't down here, people!
And if crime is NOT addressed in the manner that it SHOULD be, it never will.
I've said so many times, that you get the deadbeat landlords the hell OUT....get the human refuse OUT, chase the crime OUT.
Then, and ONLY then will this part of town see a true revival.
Stop GIVING AWAY this part of Fort Wayne...and make it thrive through work and effort.
Get the drug houses CLOSED, and either torn down or renovated into something GOOD people want to live in.
If you can force a neighborhood into decline by allowing ONE house to go Section 8, then, by God, you can do the exact opposite with good, solid plans that would allow a lot more people with better principles and values to move back in.
Those people are out there, but as long as the criminal element is allowed to stake claim here, the good folks aren't going to come back in. And having Realtors steer everyone BUT the human flotsam into the SE isn't helping one damn bit, either.
You get yourselves a REAL partnership...and get those in charge tasked with making this happen.
Prayer meeting and business "get-togethers" alone will NOT end this slide downwards.
It takes ACTION...action against crime, action against those that do nothing but prey on everyone else.
I'm the "Lone Wolf" here...my allies are too few and too far between to effectively force the change needed.
But I am willing to work with anyone that thinks like-minded, and believes there ARE enough good people left that are willing to give a rat's ass to make this part of town a SAFE place...a place to raise a family...and a place worthy of being a jewel for the city, and not just that ugly lump of coal.
Now, that's my take on this, based on facts. It's what I see, what I hear, and what I have to live with.
Time for the city to get it's head out of the sand (or wherever else it might be residing these days) and get with the REAL program).
Or, we could just look to Detroit...for OUR future.
And we don't even want to consider that possibility, do we?.
I'm just looking for ANSWERS,by asking QUESTIONS people...not too hard to figure out, is it?
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

4 comments:

Ann T. said...

Dear Bob,
I love that you're asking for better statistical data. The days where statistics were the quick way to understand are Long Gone, if indeed they ever existed.

We keep seeing that police agencies having to trick out their numbers in order to satisfy city p.r. criteria and get funding. They're in a weird position-we only fund 'success' and yet they need more funding when they're 'failing'.

I feel for them, stuck in the middle. Only critical reading is going to help them, and cities, get on an even keel.

Thanks for a great post! Yes. We want a safe place to grow and prosper. A diamond and not a lump.

Ann

Bob G. said...

Ann:
As we all know, stats CAN (and sometimes are) "maipulated" in order to get grants to further the cause for law-enforcement.
While that could be a good thing, it IS a two-edged sword.

One the ONE hand, you DO get much needed funds to secure resorces for let's say a FIVE-YEAR program (like gang activity)
All well and good, right?

On the other hand, what happens AFTER that FIVE YEARS is up?
The funds have gone away, and the department might well have to LAY OFF officers that were in the program.

And grants tend to be SPECIFIC in nature...you can't "rob Peter to pay Paul" as they say.
In THAT, there is a level of accountability (unlike in D.C.)

This is a very vicious circle that a lot of local agencies fall victim to.
And they get hung out to dry, as a result.
It's like the dangled carrot premise, and reminds me of "The harder they try, the behinder they get" syndrome.

I just want some basis FOR all those stats...and more comprehensive explanations as to WHY crime is supposedly going DOWN, when my area keeps looking and sounding worse.

I CAN back MY findings up... I LIVE down here (and neither high-level officers nor the city bosses do).

But they're more than welcome to "rent" a place for a few months...see the blight "up close and personal".
God knows there's enough vacancies.
Wow, maybe THAT would deter crime...'ya think?

:)

Hey, thanks a lot for swinging on by today.

Diane said...

you know those stats are "massaged" for the best possible light - and I think I know what they mean by "highest disposable income"... they spend more of their income on stuff..than say, someone making 150k on the same stuff - we're talking percentages of income. That is the only way they'd spend more of their income. One year was bad here in town, there were 3 murders that I knew of, and I wasn't really paying attention...there is crime everywhere, and despite people saying "its the lack of money/opportunity", people in the depression DID live with it, and didn't go out knocking people over the head, robbing them etc. If you look at the "poor" in this country, think about it - large-screen color TV, cable, internet, computer, cell phone, blah blah blah. Not poor at all. Sure, things are nice to have a good living, but not *necessary* . Conducive to a good life, but again, at what point are the poor no longer poor?

Bob G. said...

Diane:
We have indeed come a LONG way by the manner in which we define "poor" these days...
I've said for a LONG time that NONE of these people around my neighborhood who CLAIM poverty haven't a damn clue as to what REAL poverty is.

I recently saw the cable install truck at several houses where NO ONE WORKS...as well as a computer repair service (they can't even take it to a store, but have the repairman come to THEM...amazing).

Sometimes, you wish YOU were "that poor", but then again, you like to sleep with a clear conscience at night, too.

And as long as they keep getting all the freebies that everyone ELSE has to work their ass off to obtain, nothing will change in their mindset.
Someone really needs a reality-check out there, don't they?

Thanks a lot for stopping by...and welcome back home.

Have a great weekend!